Panchkula, September 11
As Doon MLA Ram Kumar Chaudhary and 11 others walked free in the sensational Jyoti murder case today due to lack of evidence, questions are being raised over the police investigations. Even after 22 months of the crime, the question as to who killed Jyoti remains unanswered.

During the investigation of the case since November 2012, investigating officers (IOs) were changed and a special investigation team (SIT) headed by the then Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Ashwin Shenvi, was constituted, but the murder mystery still remains unsolved.

Crucial evidence, which served as the basis of the arrest of all accused, fell flat. Contradictions surfaced in the cross-examination of the prosecution witnesses, including police officers. While the chargesheet stated that Jyoti was strangled and then crushed under a truck, the prosecution failed to prove the charge. The first IO, ACP Virender Sangwan, had said, “No truck tyre had passed over Jyoti, according to my investigation.”

Defence counsel AS Sukhija and Amandeep Bindra said, “At 9.13 pm on November 21, while at Airport Chowk, Jyoti made a call to Jot on 09855972358. At 9.15 pm, she made the last call on 08968967451 while at Zirakpur, which was reportedly made to her father, but the number was saved as Jogita. The investigating agency never checked all this only because they wanted to nail the MLA.”

During the trial of the case, the court had written to the Director, Prosecution, and the then DCP, Ashwin Shenvi, stating that the then public prosecutor and constable Sidharth of the cyber cell were not prepared for the case. A warning was also given.

MLA’s supporters throng court

Supporters thronged the court and celebrated when the MLA and the other accused came out of the court. The MLA’s wife, Nidhi, also came to the court for the first time.

When ‘crucial evidence’ led to nowhere

The samples of hair strands found on Jyoti’s sweater did not match with those of any of the accused. The CCTV footage of a Chandigarh-based nursing home could not be retrieved. According to the prosecution, Jyoti had gone there along with the MLA to get an abortion done. “Overwriting” on the MTP form at the nursing home could not be proved. The prosecution could not prove the MLA’s affair with Jyoti. SIM cards procured on fake documents could not be proved. The photograph of the MLA in the wedding of Jyoti’s sister Ishu could not be established as it was given to the police through mail. The defence said on that day, Ram Kumar Chaudhary was on a tour to Shimla.

Chandigarh, September 11
The court of District and Sessions Judge SK Aggarwal today sentenced two persons to life imprisonment in a murder case. The court sentenced Jagpal and Rakesh in the case and imposed a fine of Rs 20,000 each on them.

According to the prosecution case, the incident dates back to August 13, 2013, when the police were informed that a body had been dumped in a forest area on a kutcha trail from the Kishangarh side towards Bapu Dham Colony in Sector 26. The victim was identified as Deepak, alias Deepu, of Bapu Dham Colony. He was allegedly killed by Jagpal Singh, alias Gaggi, already convicted in a robbery case. Jagpal was out on bail and suspected that Deepak had illicit relations with his brother’s wife.

Deepak called Jagpal to the jungle for consuming drugs as they frequently consumed drugs along with Rakesh, a resident of Bapu Dham Colony. Jagpal then questioned Deepak’s relations with his sister-in-law. Following this, both had a verbal spat and later Rakesh Kumar held Deepak’s hands while Jagpal took a huge stone and hit Deepak on his head. When Deepak became unconscious, both kept hitting him till he succumbed to his injuries. Kaka Singh, a chowkidar of the Forest Department and resident of Saketri village, had found Deepak’s body while he was on patrolling duty in the jungle.

Chandigarh, September 11
At least one trap on traffic policemen every week to catch them taking bribe, sting operations, swift action on public complaints of corruption — these are some of the remedial measures being taken by the UT traffic police after repeated arrests of their men by the CBI in corruption cases.

Pulling up his men to check on their juniors indulging in corruption and issuing a strong warning to the policemen, UT SSP (Traffic and Security) Maneesh Chaudhary today held a meeting with all traffic officials and introduced steps to combat corruption in the force.

A separate meeting of UT Vigilance officials was also convened by Maneesh Chaudhary in his capacity as the SSP (Vigilance). At the meeting, he instructed his officers to lay similar traps on the basis of their internal reports, public complaints and also conduct surprise checks to check corruption.

Sources said it was decided at the meeting, attended by all DSPs and inspectors, that traps to check corruption would be laid by senior officials and one such trap would be laid every week. Besides, sting operations with the use of special number notes would also be carried out for effective operations.

“This will send a clear message to all those indulging in corruption that they will not be spared. The scare of a trap and surprise checks will go a long way in checking corruption,” said the SSP.

The image of the UT traffic police has taken a beating with the CBI arresting a head constable two days ago in a case of bribe of Rs 1,000 from an auto-rickshaw driver. In July this year, a head constable, Dalbir Singh, posted with the traffic police, was arrested by the CBI while taking a bribe of Rs 1,500 from the president of a local auto union as a monthly collection near the PGI.

In February this year, a traffic constable was caught taking Rs 300 at the city’s border in a trap laid by the police.

The plan One trap a week Scrutiny of postings of traffic policemen Sting operations Surprise checks

Chandigarh, September 11
The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) today dispatched sustainable relief material to aid people affected by the floods in Jammu and Kashmir, from Chandigarh.

Since there are issues of connectivity and reaching out to Srinagar, the CII tied up with the Western Command, Chandimandir, which in turn airlifted the relief material, including commodities of utmost requirement to Srinagar from the local Air Force Station.

The relief material consisted of 4,200 torches with batteries, 20 water purifiers, 4,800 packs of instant noodles, 2,400 juice bottles, 2,100 glucose packs, 10,000 glucose biscuits, 5,400 water bottles, 14 cartons of medicines, 800 blankets and toiletries.

The items were handed over to the President, Army Wives Welfare Association (AWWA), Western Command, Anita Singh, by Zubin Irani, Chairman, CII Northern Region, at the Chandimandir Military Station.

Irani said the CII’s relief work would be carried out in two phases. In the first phase, the most necessary items like food items, medicines, water purifiers, dry rations, utility items, toiletries, tents, packaged drinking water, etc, were being distributed. The second phase would comprise rehabilitation work under the aegis of the CII Foundation, the detailed plans for which would be worked out once the government’s on-ground assessment of the damage is over.

The CII has also dispatched thousand kits comprising food items, soaps, medicines (paracetamol & antacid), candles, salt, drinking water, matchboxes, milk powder, toiletries and torches from Jammu.

The AWWA has also joined hands with various non-governmental and social organisations to organise relief for the families and children of J&K affected by the floods. Special collection centres have been established within Chandimandir, Command Hospital and Defence Service Officers Institute, Sector 36, to receive the donated items. Arrangements have been made by the Western Command to transport the items to J&K by air as well as by road.

Chandigarh, September 11
Operations to evacuate flood victims from Jammu and Kashmir continued throughout the night with several aircrafts airlifting about 800 persons to the Chandigarh Air Force Station in the wee hours today.

Three AN-32s landed here between midnight and early morning with 144 persons, while two IL-76s touched down before sunrise, bringing another 386. Later this afternoon, another IL-76 ferried 245 persons.

Air Force officers said more aircraft were expected to come from Srinagar later. Arrangements were made to transport the evacuated persons to the railway station and the bus stand for their onward journey to their native places.

The IAF is also airlifting relief material and essential supplies from Chandigarh. Apart from the IL-76 and AN-32 aircraft from the locally based squadrons, the C-17 airlifted a large consignment of supplies and food items from Chandigarh to Srinagar.

Chandigarh, September 11
Office-goers commuting on trains daily, today submitted a memorandum to the Chandigarh railway station Superintendent to change timings of some of the trains.

They demanded that the Duronto superfast train, which was plying from the city railway station at 5:10 pm, should start at 6.10 pm.

The Chandigarh-Lucknow daily train, which at present leaves the city station at 5:10 pm should start at 5:45 pm and another Chandigarh-Ferozepur superfast train which starts at 4 pm should leave at 7:15 pm from the city.

One of the passenger, Gurmeet, said the government had started these trains to facilitate the public and if by making minor changes passengers were benefited then the authorities should look into these demands sympathetically.

Chandigarh railway station Superintendent RK Dutta said that the proposal would be forwarded to the higher authorities as the decision to change the timings of the trains depended on them.

Chandigarh, September 11
In a relief to paid parking contractors in the city, the Finance and Contract Committee (F&CC) of the municipal corporation has decided that the service tax charged from them would now be included in the parking fee only.

Earlier, though the MC had decided that the contractors would have to pay the service charge, yet the contractors were not charging the service charges from the people using the paid parking facility. A few contractors had even surrendered their parking contracts.

The parking contractors had demanded that they be allowed to charge the service tax from the people. The committee accorded approval to the agenda item regarding the policy for imposing of service tax in the paid parking areas. “For four wheelers, out of Rs 5, Rs 4.45 will be parking charges and Rs 0.55 will be the service tax. Similarly, for two-wheelers, out of Rs two (parking charges), Rs 1.78 will be the parking charge and Rs 0.22 will be the service tax”, said Pardeep Chhabra, a committee member. Tejinder Singh, Supervisor of the Sahib Singh Paid Parking Lot in Sector 17, welcoming the decision said it was a long-pending demand of the contractors. “Contractors were not charging any service tax from the people and then also we were asked to pay the service tax, which was unjustified”, Singh added.

The F&CC also discussed the agenda item regarding permission for weekly carnival at the Sector 17 Plaza on every Saturday and Sunday and decided that permission for carnivals would be given on weekends. During the meeting it was also proposed that LED screens be installed in Sector 17 through which the MC could convey social messages to visitors and even generate revenue by displaying advertisements. The F&CC members stated that the LEDs could also be installed in city markets.

Chandigarh, September 11
The UT has finally agreed to integrate its major roads with the proposed roads earmarked in the Mullanpur (New Chandigarh) master plan. But at the same time has decided not to integrate its road network with Punjab’s Nayagaon and Kansal areas.

Under the regional plan for Punjab, the Punjab’s Town and Country Planning Department has been seeking better inter-city connectivity by integrating its three proposed roads with the adjoining UT area in the North-West of Chandigarh.

Earlier, the UT had not proposed linking of two of its busiest roads, Dakshin Marg and Vikas Marg, with the proposed roads of New Chandigarh. On the other hand, Punjab has been pressing to connect the roads as a number of projects in its areas were coming alongside the roads and it would divide the load of traffic.

Apart from the 200-foot wide road connecting the Mullanpur-Siswan Road with UT’s Madhya Marg, Punjab had been seeking linking of one of its 200-foot wide road with a road behind the Dhanas Rehabilitation Colony, the second 200-foot wide road with another road near Dadu Majra, Maloya and the third road with the road touching Sector 39. The state had also filed their objections to the UT Master Plan on the issue. After going through the objections, the UT amended the road alignment in the final master plan.

While the UT has given the green signal in case of Mullanpur, it has decided not to allow the same in case of Nayagaon and Kansal as the settlements have witnessed haphazard development. “It will choke the city’s infrastructure and can gel with the planning of the Phase 1 sectors. It will put substantial load on roads that open to the northern sectors, it has been argued”, said an official.

Mohali, September 11
A bus service will be started for industrial workers in Mohali. An assurance to this effect was given by Chunni Lal Bhagat, Punjab Minister for Labour, Forests and Wildlife, here today.

The minister, who was addressing a meeting of representatives of industrial workers and officials of the Labour Department, said the CTU had agreed to start a bus service for the industrial area here from November.

He directed the ESIC to ensure the payment of pending medical bills of the workers.

The representatives made the minister aware of various problems being faced by the workers. They demanded the opening of an ESI dispensary for industrial areas falling in Kurali, Morinda, Majri and Dera Bassi.

The representatives said there was a shortage of medicines and medical staff at the ESI dispensaries.

They also said vacant areas in various focal points in the state should be used for providing residential facility to the workers.

Chandigarh, September 11
The second day of the 6th Chandigarh Arts and Heritage Festival witnessed vibrant performances of diverse classical dance forms at Tagore Theatre here this evening.

Artistes from Delhi unfolded the finer display of “Kathak Pravaha” and “Nrityarupa”. Kathak Pravaha, an expression of dynamic art journey of ancient tradition, consisted of three pieces – “Ni-ra-tata-dhang”, “Padhant” and “Tarana”.

Madhup Mudgal composed the music and Kumudini Lakhia choreographed the dance, which included around 10 artistes.

“Ni-ra-tata-dhang” depicted the bond between Radha and Krishna, while “Padhant” showcased the beauty of footwork, rhythm pattern and audience communication.

The concluding piece, “Tarana”, threw light on the beauty and festivity during the Mughal Era.

The team of dancers included Vidya Gauri, Deepak Arora, Namarata Mali, Neelakshi Khandkar, Rohit, Abhishek Khinchi, Anukriti Vishwkarma, Aamprapali, Deepti Gupta and Mukesh.

In the next part, seven dancers clad in colourful costumes showcased six classical forms of dance. Starting from Shiv Stuti, the composition highlighted all dance forms, including Kathak, Bharatnatyam and Odissi.

Manipuri dance form was performed by Debola Devi, Kathakali by P Jagadeean Rajesh, Chau by Sushant Maharana, Odissi by Y Asha Kumar and Kathak by Gauri Diwakar.

Earlier during the day, a poster-making competition was organised at Government Arts College, Sector 10, here as part of the festival. On Friday, a Hindi play, “Tuglaq”, written by Girish Karnard and directed by K Madavane, will be staged.

Chandigarh, September 11
The Municipal Corporation Chandigarh (MCC) has decided to conduct a survey of the dead tress, which need to be cut, across the city.

At present, the MC has no count of the trees that have outlived.Uprooting of tress during a storm is common sight in the city following which the Resident Welfare Associations (RWA) keeps demanding cutting of such tress that can pose threat to the human life.

MC officials said that a detailed plan had been prepared for holding the survey of dead trees.— TNS

Chandigarh, September 11
NavSankalp, a student-run charity, came forward to help a 15-year-old boy suffering from craniopharyngioma (a type of brain tumour).

Financial assistance of Rs 50,000 was provided for the treatment of Dheeraj who had lost his vision.

He was operated upon in in July 2012 and referred to the PGI as there was a recurrence. Dheeraj lost his father 6 years ago and now his mother, a house maid, is his only support.

Donation for his surgery was made by the members of NavSankalp in the presence of MP Kirron Kher and BC Josan, Principal, DAV College, Sector 10, Chandigarh.

Chandigarh, September 11
Scores of students of Sri Dhanwantary Ayurvedic College of the 2012-13 batch — who were in a dilemma following Panjab University’s disaffiliation — might get a relief from the authorities this time.

The Supreme Court had on September 8 this year, vacated the stay for not conducting the examinations by Panjab University.

The issue will be tabled in the Syndicate meeting scheduled for September 13.

Sources said it will be proposed in the meeting that the university should allow students of the 2012-13 batch to appear in the examination.

Though the proposal was tabled in the Syndicate meeting in the last meeting, the members did not discuss it. Due to this, no decision could be taken by the authorities till date.

In March, Panjab University authorities had decided not to conduct the examinations of any batch of Sri Dhanwantary Ayurvedic College, Sector 46, in this session.

Meanwhile, the students hope that this time the authorities will not raise an objection and conduct their examinations, which have been pending since January 2014, due to the ongoing affiliation dispute between Panjab University authorities and the management of Dhanwantary Ayurvedic College.