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Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 12
Setting aside orders passed by the Consumer Forum, last month, the State Commission has withdrawn orders of simple imprisonment against the CHB CEO and the Secretary in a case relating to delay in conversion of a resident’s property. Also, taking note the CHB’s contentions that delay on the part of the Finance Department resulted in the overall delay and three persons from the department were chargesheeted, the commission has directed the UT Finance Secretary to submit action-taken report on the three chargesheeted officials.

Two months ago, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum had convicted and sentenced Rodney L Ralte, CEO, Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB), and Mandeep Kaur, Secretary, CHB, to three months imprisonment for non-compliance of court orders.

The two officers were also directed to pay a fine of Rs 5,000 each. The State Commission, in its order dated January 11, 2013, had directed the CHB to convert the complainant’s dwelling unit from leasehold to freehold and pay Rs 10,000 as compensation and Rs 5,000 as the cost of litigation. The order was to be complied with in 45 days.

Raj Kumar, a resident of Sector 45, had filed a criminal petition (under Section 27 of the Consumer Protection Act) alleging non-compliance of the orders of the commission. “The CHB has failed to put forward any just ground for not enforcing the order even after a period of one year and five month,” the forum had stated.

An appeal was then filed in the commission against the order. “Chargesheets proposing to impose major penalty under Rule 8 of the Punjab Civil Services (Punishment and Appeal) Rules 1970 (amended upto date) have already been served, by the Chandigarh Administration and the Chandigarh Housing Board, on JP Singh, Assistant Controller (Finance and Accounts) , Rajesh Kumar Sharma, Section Officer (SAS) of the Finance Department, at the relevant time, working with the Chandigarh Housing Board, on deputation, and Veena Rani, Assistant, Chandigarh Housing Board, for causing considerable delay, in putting up the relevant file, before the appellants, resulting into non-compliance of the orders passed by this commission,” stated the counsel for the CHB officials.

“Non-bailable warrants, issued against Rodney L. Ralte and Mandeep Kaur are ordered to be recalled unexecuted, immediately. The Finance Secretary, Chandigarh, and the Chairman, Chandigarh Housing Board, shall submit the final action-taken report, against JP Singh , Rajesh Kumar Sharma and Veena Rani within three months”, the commission ruled today. 

Chandigarh, August 12
A local court today convicted nine persons and sentenced them to three years imprisonment in a case of house trespass, criminal intimidation, criminal conspiracy and for beating up and injuring a tenant in order to get a house vacated in Daddu Majra in 2011.

Two accused, Balbir and Jasbir, were acquitted of the charges. The nine accused have been convicted under Sections 323, 442, 427, 452, 120-B, 506 of the IPC.

The case was reported on October 28, 2011 when A Daddu Majra resident, Tapan Singh, had rented his house to Ankush. Tapan wanted to get the house vacated forcibly.

He hired some goons who beat up tenant Ankush after confining him in a park. After that they barged into the house and pushed his sister out and then destroyed the portion where he stayed. Ankush had then complained to the police following which the accused were arrested.

Those convicted today are Sandeep, Maninder, Ajay, Tapan, Mohan Rana, Bunty, Vikram, Shubham and Madanlal. They have also been imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 each.

Chandigarh, August 12
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Chandigarh, directed a charitable hospital to pay Rs 50,000 as compensation for the mental agony caused to a patient.

On the complaint of Sukhwinder Kaur, a resident of Sector 35, Chandigarh, the consumer forum directed Guru Nanak Multi-specialty (C) Hospital in Sector 35 and its technologist to pay Rs 10,000 as litigation cost apart from the compensation.

The complainant alleged that she visited the hospital with a minor health problem for which her blood sample was taken. A report dated May 4, 2013, was issued in which serum prolactin was shown to be 248.3, which is a symptom of a severe ailment. She claimed that when she approached the PGIMER, within five days, the result of the prolactin test was found within the standard range.

In its reply, Guru Nanak Multi-specialty (C) Hospital, Chandigarh, and its technologist denied any deficiency. The hospital stated that no patient was given any medicine by testing serum prolactin for the first time, as the laboratory takes a repeat test after a gap of three to four days. The hospital claimed that the patient was asked to undertake a repeat test but she got it done from the PGI. The report of the repeat test conducted by the PGI showed the level of the prolactin as normal.

Mohali, August 12
The local court today granted bail to Harjinder Singh, a local leader of the SAD and a key accused in the Brigadier Nawab Singh Heer (retd) plot grab case.

Harjinder Singh of Balongi village was arrested on July 21 in the case registered at Phase VIII police station following the complaint of Canada-based Heer. His bail application was moved in the court of Mohali Additional District and Sessions Judge Dilbagh Singh Johal, who issued orders to release him on bail today.

Meanwhile, Brigadier Heer alleged that he was not satisfied with the investigations in the case. “The investigating officer in the case did nothing to prevent his release on bail,” alleged Brig Heer.

So far, five persons have been arrested in the case.

Chandigarh, August 12
After receiving no reply from actress Mallika Sherawat on a petition restraining her from defaming the nation by draping herself in the Tricolour in her forthcoming film, ‘Dirty Politics’, the court today declared her as ex parte.

With this, Sherawat will no longer be able to give her side of the story in the case.

Earlier, the court had issued notice to the actress on June 12, June 13, July 2 and August 4 for allegedly showing disrespect to the National Flag. Besides the actress, the court has also declared the producer and director of the film as ex parte after they too failed to respond.

The case has now been adjourned to September 16.

Panchkula, August 12
Two women died in separate road accidents here today. Kamla Devi (55), a resident of Samaleri village, was crushed to death by a speeding school bus in Raipur Rani this morning. She was riding pillion on the bike being driven by her son Hoshiar Singh.

The victim was rushed to the General Hospital, Sector 6, where she was declared brought dead.

The driver of the school bus, identified as Rishi Pal, has been arrested under the Section 304-A (death due to negligence) of the IPC. He would be produced in the court tomorrow.

The investigating officer in the case, SI Harpal Singh, said, “As the bike collided with the right side of the bus, the victim fell off the bike and was crushed under a front wheel of the bus.”

The vehicles collided near Niganiyan School due to confusion among their drivers, the police said.

The school bus was returning to the school after picking children from various villages. The children escaped unhurt in the accident.

Hoshiar Singh suffered minor injuries.

Dr Sunil Gambhir, who conducted the post-mortem examination, said, “The heavy wheel divided the face of the victim into two parts.”

The body has been handed over to the deceased’s family.

In a separate accident, a 50-year-old woman died after she was hit by a speeding car while she was crossing a road near her house in Ramgarh.

The victim, identified as Chandravati, was rushed to the General Hospital, Sector 6, where she was declared brought dead. The car driver has been arrested for causing death due to negligence.

Mohali, August 12
The Mohali police arrested one person for raping his 14-year-old daughter and booked three other persons on the same charge in two other cases.

In the first incident, the police arrested Daljit Singh (50), a resident of Jhampur village, for raping his minor daughter. The victim is said to be not mentally fit.

SP (H) Harpal Singh Sandhu said Daljit Singh used to rape his daughter under influence of intoxicants. “The victim reported the matter to the police, following which we immediately arrested the accused,” he said, adding that a case under Section 376 of the IPC has been registered against him at the Balongi police station.

The accused would be produced in the court tomorrow.

In the second case, the Kharar police booked Rajesh Kumar and Vikram on the charge of raping a 15-year-old girl.

Sub-inspector Deep Singh said the victim belonged to a humble family and used to do labour work, along with her parents. “The accused, Rajesh Kumar, who is a contractor, sent the girl to a house for work and sent Vikram along. On finding the victim alone at the site, Vikram allegedly raped her,” said Deep Singh.

A case under Sections 376 and 120-B of the IPC has been registered at the Kharar police station.

In the third incident, the Kharar police booked a Rajpura-based Varinder Singh following a rape charge by a woman resident of Sunny Enclave here.

The victim alleged that she had come into contact with the accused through a social networking site, following which he met her at Kharar in January this year. She alleged that to win her trust, the accused had taken her to Naina Devi temple and performed marriage rituals there.

The victim alleged that after making physical relation with her at her flat, the accused fled with gold ornaments and a car.

A case under Sections 376, 506, 406 and 493 of the IPC has been registered against the accused at the Kharar police station.

Mohali, August 12
On the second day of the ongoing Sardar Bhagwant Singh Memorial Inter-school Basketball Tournament, being played at Vivek High School, Sector 70 , Mohali, Saupin’s School, Mohali, beat Infant Jesus Convent School, 24-08 and The Millennium School Mohali defeated The British School, 15-12 in under-14 boys’ category.

The star scorer for The Millennium School was Ayesh, who scored consecutive 6 points in the last few minutes. The under-14 girls’ category was won by St Xavier’s School, Mohali, by defeating Infant Jesus Convent School, 20-06, Akwinder Kaur and Palak scored 8 and 6 points each for the winning team. In the under-16 boys’ category, YPS School, Mohali, beat Shivalik School, 45-29. Shivalik School was leading in the beginning, Jaskaran Singh and Rahul from YPS School played well and scored the winning points for their team. In the second round of under-16 boys’ category, The Millennium School Mohali, beat Shishu Niketan School, 22-16.

In the girls’ under-16 category, St. Soldier’s School, Mohali, beat Shishu Niketan School, 16-06. Harjot Kaur scored 14 points for St Soldier’s School.

On the third day of the tournament, host school Vivek High will take on Saupin’s School. St Stephen’s School will take on Lawrence Public School and St Soldier’s will take on Shemrock School. In the under-16 boys’ category Gurukul World School will take on Manav Mangal School and British School will compete with Shemrock School. 

Chandigarh, August 12
The girls’ basketball team of Strawberry Fields World School (SFWS) bagged the first position in the UT Tournament conducted by the Chandigarh Administration at Sports Complex, Sector 46, Chandigarh.

In the final match of the UT U-14 Basketball Tournament, the SFWS and Carmel Convent, Sector 9, played against each other. The nail biting match finished in favour of Strawberry Fields World School.

The team of Strawberry Fields World School defeated Aashiana Public School, Sector 46, Chandigarh by 28-12 points on the first day.

In their second match against the St Joseph’s Senior Secondary School, Sector 44, the SFWS team won 32-2.

In the third match, they defeated Government Model School, Sector 20, 21-2.

In the semi-final match, they defeated the team of Gurukul Global by a huge difference of 36-10 points. 

Chandigarh, August 12
The team of Government Model Senior Secondary School (GMSSS) 35 routed their opponents Government Model High School, Sector 37, 6-1, during the inter-school baseball tournament in the U-14 boys’ category.

In the second match, GMSSS-15 and St Anne’s, Sector 32, the former won 3-0.

In the under-17 boys’ category, GMSSS-10 defeated GMSSS-35, 4-1. In the match held between GMHS-39 defeated GMSSS-33, 4-1.

In the under-19 boys’ category, SGGSCPS-26 defeated GMSSS-35, 2-0. In the match held between DAVSSS-08 and GMSSS-44, the former won 4-0.

In the girls U-17 category, GMSSS-10 defeated Government High School, Sector 11, 2-1. In the match, held between St. Anne’s and GMSSS-15, the former won 2-1.

In the girls’ U-19 category, GMSSS-8 routed Sacred Heart 26, 7-0.

Chandigarh, August 12
In the tricity seven-a-side football tournament held at the football grounds of the Panjab University, Minerva Academy defeated St Xaviers Football Academy by two goals to win the inaugural edition of the tournament.

Twenty teams from all over the region including teams from Patiala, Ambala, Panchkula, Mohali, Derabassi and Chandigarh had participated in the tournament.

In a fast paced final, Minerva Academy took the lead in the 8th minute through a tactical passing move which culminated in Pankaj of Minerva Academy volleying the ball in from close range giving the opposition custodian no chance. In the 23rd minute the team took their lead to two goals. The match ended 2-0 with Minerva Academy being crowned the tricity champions.

Chandigarh, August 12
DPS 40 defeated DAV-8, 2-0, during the inter-school badminton tournament being held at Sports Complex, Sector 42, today, in the girls’ (U-14) category.

Stepping Stones, Sector 38, defeated Sacred Heart, Sector 26, 2-0.

In the match between SGHMS-38 and AKSIPS-41, the latter won 2-1. In the match played between Ryan International-49 and DAV-7, the former won 2-0. In the match played between Ankur School, Sector 14, and Carmel Convent, Sector 9, the latter won 2-0. In a match held between Ashian International and St Anne’s-32, the latter won 2-1. In the last match of the day in the girls’ category held between Strawberry Fields World School and Government Model High School, Sector 26, police lines, the former won 2-0.