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Chandigarh, January 24
The Punjab and Haryana High Court (HC) today dismissed an application seeking stay on the appointment of Panjab University Vice-Chancellor Prof Arun Kumar Grover’s wife Dr Neera Grover on the post of Vocal Studies professor in Panjab University’s Music Department.

The application filed by Dr Rajinder Kumar Singla was turned down by the Division Bench of Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Arun Palli. Singla’s earlier petition was turned down in January last year. The appeal filed in the matter was subsequently dismissed as withdrawn, with liberty to file a petition in public interest. The adjudication in case of Singla’s PIL is currently pending.

The High Court has also issued contempt notice to varsity Vice-Chancellor, Registrar Prof AK Bhandari and Syndicate members, including Gopal Krishan Chatrath, Gurdev Singh Ghuman, Dr BC Josan and Puneet Bedi.

The notice was issued after Singla alleged that the respondents had intentionally and deliberately violated the order dated November 13, 2013. The order was passed by a Division Bench. In the case, the university counsel had stated that Dr Neera Grover’s term was only till December 16, 2013, and further term had been declined by the Syndicate.

But in alleged disregard of the order, the university brought the issue of granting her extension before the Senate on December 8, 2013.

The issue of her fresh appointment was also approved after it was placed before the Syndicate in its meeting held on January 4. The appointment of Dr Neera Grover would now commence from the date she joins till July 31, 2015.

Dr Neera Grover’s appointment had come under judicial scanner after RTI activist Dr Singla had filed a petition.

He had alleged that prescribed procedure for the recruitment was not followed by the university authorities while appointing Dr Grover.

Seeking directions to quash her appointment and to fill the post through re-advertisement, Dr Singla claimed that the varsity invited applications, with November 1, 2010, as the last date.

After Grover’s notification as VC in June 2012, the academic and administrative committee of the Music Department held a meeting on July 5, 2012.

It recommended that VC’s wife be offered an emergent appointment as a professor against the vacant post.

Subsequently, on July 17, 2012, Dr Neera Grover applied for the post with a request of condoning the delay of one year and eight months for submitting the application.

The outgoing VC condoned the delay, despite the facts that some candidates had already been shortlisted.

Dr Neera Grover was selected and PU Syndicate in its meetings appointed her for a period of one year by invoking provisions for emergency appointments.

Finally, she joined the Music Department in December 2012.

Chandigarh, January 24
Admonishing the railway police for carrying out investigations in a murder case in a laidback and mechanical manner, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has transferred the probe from Patiala Government Railway Police to the Panchkula crime branch.

Justice Rekha Mittal has also ordered that the probe would be conducted by an officer not below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police. "If the police have failed to discharge its functions properly, the court cannot sit as a mute spectator," Justice Mittal said.

The directions came on a petition filed by Anita Thakur against the state of Punjab and another respondent. She was seeking probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation into FIR number 50 registered at Patiala railway police station on June 11, 2013, under Section 302 of the IPC for her husband Chander Mohan Thakur's murder.

She had alleged that her husband's murder was being passed on as accident "without proper investigation to bring the real culprits to the book". Going into the background, she alleged that her husband, a mechanical engineer and proprietor of two firms, received a telephonic call on the day of his death, May 23, 2013, from Ajay Chaudhary for a business meeting and was later picked up from the main road of Sector 9, Panchkula.

He was working in Ashok Sharma's firm, but later started his own work. Ashok Sharma's employees, including his driver, joined her husband. She said the body was thrown on railway tracks.

Justice Mittal asserted: "The respondents have not denied that one of the shoes worn by the deceased was recovered from the spot after a month of the incident on the demarcation of the petitioner that shows that the spot was not inspected properly."

"Nothing has been stated in regard to investigation qua business dealings of the deceased with Ashok Sharma. The investigating agency did not care to examine the call details to know the persons who had contact with the deceased, the time of last call, and time at which the driver of the train noticed the alleged accident, to further find out if the deceased had been freely talking to others as well as his location after leaving his house," asserted Justice Mittal.

"It appears that the investigating officers have conducted the investigation in a very casual and perfunctory manner instead of discharging their duty with devotion, diligence and seriousness to detect the truth. Keeping in view the facts and circumstances of the present case, the Court has no hesitation to conclude that no proper investigation has been conducted in the matter by the officials of railway police," asserted Justice Mittal. 

Murder Case

The petitioner alleged that her husband, Chander Mohan Thakur, a mechanical engineer and proprietor of two firms, received a telephonic call on May 23, 2013, for a business meeting. He was working in Ashok Sharma's firm, but later started his own work. His business rival, Ashok Sharma's employees, joined her husband. She said his body was thrown on railway tracks.

Chandigarh, January 24
Kent RO Systems Limited and a local dealer have been penalised for failing to rectify a defect in filters of a RO system.

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has directed the opposite parties to pay Rs 5,000 as compensation and replace or repair the RO system installed at the complainant’s home.

Mohinder Kumar Bansal, the complainant, purchased a Kent Grand Mineral RO system from a dealer, Mohan Bartan Bhandar, SCF 2, Sector 20-C, for Rs 14,500.

The RO system, which carried a warranty of one year, was installed on the same day in the complainant’s house.

According to the complainant, the RO system developed a fault and its filters stopped working soon after the purchase. He lodged a complaint with the opposite parties but nobody bothered to visit his house and rectify the defect.

After several complaints, representatives of the opposite parties visited the complainant’s house. However, they failed to repair the product and made an excuse that spare parts were out of stock.

The opposite parties did not dispute that the complainant purchased the RO system. They claimed that there was no defect in the RO system.

“We are of the view that for their inaction and the resultant harassment and agony caused to the complainant, the opposite parties must pay him compensation and costs as well,” the forum ruled.

Mohali, January 24
A woman living in Sector 68 here has been robbed of her gold ornaments. Saroj Kumari of Darshan Vihar told the police that on January 20 evening she was standing outside her house when a man approached her and asked her the way towards Sector 70.

In the meantime, a woman came and said the man, whom she described as a 'baba', had spiritual powers and could solve all her problems.

The 'baba' asked Saroj to hand over her gold ornaments, which he tied in a handkerchief. He told the victim to keep the handkerchief in a cupboard and open it only in the morning.

The complainant said when she opened the handkerchief the next day, she found that it contained stones.

The police have registered a case under Section 379 of the IPC against unidentified persons.

Panchkula, January 24
A domestic help decamped with cash and mobile phones from the residence of former Chandigarh DSP ML Verma in Sector 15 here today.

The accused, Aarti, had been working at Verma’s house for the past four months. The family was away when the incident took place. The loss is estimated to be Rs 1.5 lakh. A case has been registered at Sector 14 police station, Panchkula. — TNS

Chandigarh, January 24
The GHG Khalsa College of Education, Gurusar Sadhar, Ludhiana, won the Panjab University Inter-College Football (Men) Evening and Education Colleges Championship for the session 2013-14. The Department of Evening Studies, PU, bagged the second position.

Results:

Semifinal matches: The Department of Evening Studies, PU, defeated the LLR Government College of Education, Dhudike, 2-0

The GHG Khalsa College of Education, Gurusar Sadhar, defeated the SBHSM College of Education, Mahilpur, 5-1

Final match: The GHG Khalsa College of Education, Gurusar Sadhar, defeated the Department of Evening Studies, PU, 2-0