Gaza City, December 3, 2001.
Israeli helicopters today destroyed Yasser Arafat’s presidential residence and offices in a missile strike in Gaza City, while the Palestinian leader was out of Gaza, an AFP correspondent on the scene said.
The helicopters also fired around 10 missiles at Mr Arafat’s heliport in here and destroyed two helicopters and damaged the third one. Mr Arafat is left without a single working helicopter, Palestinian security officials said.
The strike came just hours after hawkish Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon rushed home to weigh a response to a spate of Palestinian suicide bombings launched against his country while he was in Washington.
“The Gaza attack is a clear message we are sending to Mr Yasser Arafat that the games are over and we hold him responsible for the recent attacks,” a senior army officer said on Israeli Radio.
Israeli tanks and armoured vehicles have descended en masse on Palestinian areas in the West Bank, the Palestinian Authority said in a statement today, without giving further detail.
WASHINGTON: The White House on Monday said “Israel has a right to defend itself,” as Israeli helicopters pounded Palestinian sites after a string of weekend suicide bombings that killed more than 20 Israelis.
Asked whether US President George W. Bush was sympathetic to the Israeli decision to retaliate, Bush spokesman Ari Fleischer told reporters: “Obviously, Israel has a right to defend itself, and the President understands that clearly.”
The White House said Israel and Yasser Arafat must continue to pursue dialogue while emphasising that the Palestinian leader must show “in deeds” that he wants peace.
DUBAI: The Palestinian Authority has called on the USA to intervene following Israel’s raids on the Gaza Strip, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat told Abu Dhabi television on Monday.
“I spoke to the Americans minutes after the raids started. They said they would do their best (to stop them), but didn’t say more,” Mr Erakat said. AFP, Reuters
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Pvt college students in quandary
Chandigarh, December 3, 2001.
Uncertainty over the schedule of the half-yearly December examinations in aided and unaided private colleges of Punjab and Chandigarh, scheduled to begin tomorrow, is weighing heavy on the minds of the students with the teachers going on strike by courting arrest in Chandigarh today.
Most private colleges of the city have not put up notices declaring the postponement of the examination, though principals confirmed that holding examinations in the prevailing circumstances was impossible.
While the students debate on whether or not to begin preparation for the examination, the principals and managements of aided and unaided private colleges which account for almost 80 per cent of the education in the state are hoping the government will bail them out by accepting their demands.
Though nothing much is happening in the colleges with the ad-hoc teaching staff as well as the non-teaching staff supporting the teachers in their “fight for justice”, hostellers are unable to leave for home since the announcement for examinations could come any day.
The Principal of MCM DAV College, Ms Usha Gupta, said that the examinations would be “postponed” in all probability. “The teachers have forwarded the call for ‘ceasework’ given by the PCCTU. We cannot make any other arrangements. The exams will probably take place in January,” she added.
Extending full support and cooperation to the teachers protesting for the implementation of the pension-cum-gratuity scheme through government treasury, Principal of SGGS College, Sector 26, Mr P.S. Sangha, says, “We have postponed the examinations till December 7 for the time being. The date will be extended if the government does not give in to their demands.”
The Principal of DAV College, Sector 10, Dr K.K. Sawal, said, “We cannot put up a formal declaration of postponement of the examination since the government could agree to the demands of the teachers. The students will just have to wait and watch.”
Uncertainty over the schedule of the half-yearly December examinations in aided and unaided private colleges of Punjab and Chandigarh, scheduled to begin tomorrow, is weighing heavy on the minds of the students with the teachers going on strike by courting arrest in Chandigarh today.
Most private colleges of the city have not put up notices declaring the postponement of the examination, though principals confirmed that holding examinations in the prevailing circumstances was impossible.
While the students debate on whether or not to begin preparation for the examination, the principals and managements of aided and unaided private colleges which account for almost 80 per cent of the education in the state are hoping the government will bail them out by accepting their demands.
Though nothing much is happening in the colleges with the ad-hoc teaching staff as well as the non-teaching staff supporting the teachers in their “fight for justice”, hostellers are unable to leave for home since the announcement for examinations could come any day.
The Principal of MCM DAV College, Ms Usha Gupta, said that the examinations would be “postponed” in all probability. “The teachers have forwarded the call for ‘ceasework’ given by the PCCTU. We cannot make any other arrangements. The exams will probably take place in January,” she added.
Extending full support and cooperation to the teachers protesting for the implementation of the pension-cum-gratuity scheme through government treasury, Principal of SGGS College, Sector 26, Mr P.S. Sangha, says, “We have postponed the examinations till December 7 for the time being. The date will be extended if the government does not give in to their demands.”
The Principal of DAV College, Sector 10, Dr K.K. Sawal, said, “We cannot put up a formal declaration of postponement of the examination since the government could agree to the demands of the teachers. The students will just have to wait and watch.”
Pact on govt eludes Afghans
Rabbani flexible, proposes 4 nominees
Bonn (Germany), December 3, 2001
After talking late into the night, bleary-eyed Afghans rose before dawn today for a seventh day of negotiating a post-Taliban government, their efforts clouded by fresh remarks from Kabul.
The four Afghan factions represented at the UN-sponsored talks in a top-security hotel outside Bonn have generally agreed the outline of an interim government but still face the most difficult task of choosing 29 persons for a new cabinet.
The UN had initially set a goal of last Saturday to reach an accord, but officials now say the slow-moving talks could continue through this week.
Reshaping the government could sideline Northern Alliance leader Burhanuddin Rabbani, who is still recognised by the UN, but his grumbling in Kabul threatens the deal.
In an interview with The Washington Post published today, Mr Rabbani proposed a new plan to keep him and his coalition in power for up to six more months, comments at odds with his delegation. He also ruled out any special role for former King Zahir Shah in the future of Afghanistan.
“My name would be for the leadership council,” Mr Rabbani said.
An adviser to the group backing former King Zahir Shah said they would propose the former monarch’s close aide Abdul Sattar Sirat to head the interim administration. An adviser to the dominant Northern Alliance said his group had backed the choice.
KABUL: Mr Burhanuddin Rabbani has decided to accept any one of four possible nominees to lead an interim Afghan administration, his spokesman said today.
“Mr Rabbani approved the UN proposal and authorised his delegation in Bonn to choose one of the below-mentioned candidates as the head of the interim administration,” his spokesman Sayed Najibullah Hashimi told Reuters on telephone. Reuters
Bonn (Germany), December 3, 2001
After talking late into the night, bleary-eyed Afghans rose before dawn today for a seventh day of negotiating a post-Taliban government, their efforts clouded by fresh remarks from Kabul.
The four Afghan factions represented at the UN-sponsored talks in a top-security hotel outside Bonn have generally agreed the outline of an interim government but still face the most difficult task of choosing 29 persons for a new cabinet.
The UN had initially set a goal of last Saturday to reach an accord, but officials now say the slow-moving talks could continue through this week.
Reshaping the government could sideline Northern Alliance leader Burhanuddin Rabbani, who is still recognised by the UN, but his grumbling in Kabul threatens the deal.
In an interview with The Washington Post published today, Mr Rabbani proposed a new plan to keep him and his coalition in power for up to six more months, comments at odds with his delegation. He also ruled out any special role for former King Zahir Shah in the future of Afghanistan.
“My name would be for the leadership council,” Mr Rabbani said.
An adviser to the group backing former King Zahir Shah said they would propose the former monarch’s close aide Abdul Sattar Sirat to head the interim administration. An adviser to the dominant Northern Alliance said his group had backed the choice.
KABUL: Mr Burhanuddin Rabbani has decided to accept any one of four possible nominees to lead an interim Afghan administration, his spokesman said today.
“Mr Rabbani approved the UN proposal and authorised his delegation in Bonn to choose one of the below-mentioned candidates as the head of the interim administration,” his spokesman Sayed Najibullah Hashimi told Reuters on telephone. Reuters
All-party meeting on POTO today
Vajpayee offers to consider amendments
New Delhi, December 3, 2001
Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today offered his government’s willingness to consider amendments to the Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance (POTO) and announced that he would convene a meeting of Opposition leaders tomorrow to discuss the issue.
Intervening during an hour-long unscheduled debate on certain remarks that he made yesterday in Hyderabad during zero hour today in the Lok Sabha, the Prime Minister said it would have been better if the government had consulted the Opposition before promulgating POTO.
Mr Vajpayee said the Telugu Desam Party while supporting POTO during the recent Chief Minister’s conference had expressed reservations on certain provisions and hastened to add that the “government is willing to consider certain amendments to POTO”.
Urging the Opposition not to play politics on a issue which was crucial to the country’s unity, the Prime Minister asked the Congress to inform about its objections to the ordinance.
Denying that he had doubted the patriotism of Muslims or any other section during his speech yesterday in Hyderabad, Mr Vajpayee said he had convened a meeting of the Opposition leaders tomorrow at 6.30 pm and expressed the hope that a consensus would emerge at the deliberations.
“The new measures are not aimed at minorities or any other section but meant only to target terrorists”, he said in an obvious effort to allay apprehensions of a certain section.
Lashing out at Samajawadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav, who, according to the Prime Minister, has no business to disrupt question hour by raising the issue, Mr Vajpayee said: “Is Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav not bound by recent norms agreed to by all parties?”.
Saying that heavens would not have fallen had he raised the issue after an hour, the Prime Minister said, “Is this not politics. If not politics, is it a social service”.
Mr Yadav, by raising the issue during question hour, wanted to play politics to show that he was in the forefront in the Opposition on the POTO issue, Mr Vajpayee said.
Referring to the Opposition charge that the ruling party was indulging in politics, the Prime Minister said, “We have come here for politics. But, one has to be above party politics when the interest of the nation are at stake”.
If the Opposition could do politics, the Treasury Benches too could respond appropriately, he observed.
Earlier, the Opposition made a scathing attack on the Prime Minister’s reported remarks in Hyderabad which, they said, had cast aspersions on patriotism of the Opposition and minorities.
Asking the Prime Minister whether he wanted to run the country in this manner, Opposition leaders asserted that they would continue to oppose the “draconian” ordinance.
Appealing to the Opposition to “reconsider their stand” and support the move, Prime Minister asked, “Isn’t it true that the Opposition is not cooperating?”.
He said Congress President Sonia Gandhi had criticised POTO so he, too, should have an opportunity to put across his views. “If I speak, they raise issues of propriety”.
Earlier, as soon as question hour began, the Samajwadi Party President stood up and demanded suspension of question hour in the Lok Sabha today.
Despite protests by Mr Yadav, Congress member Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi and others, Lok Sabha Speaker G.M.C. Balayogi did not allow them to raise the issue.
New Delhi, December 3, 2001
Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today offered his government’s willingness to consider amendments to the Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance (POTO) and announced that he would convene a meeting of Opposition leaders tomorrow to discuss the issue.
Intervening during an hour-long unscheduled debate on certain remarks that he made yesterday in Hyderabad during zero hour today in the Lok Sabha, the Prime Minister said it would have been better if the government had consulted the Opposition before promulgating POTO.
Mr Vajpayee said the Telugu Desam Party while supporting POTO during the recent Chief Minister’s conference had expressed reservations on certain provisions and hastened to add that the “government is willing to consider certain amendments to POTO”.
Urging the Opposition not to play politics on a issue which was crucial to the country’s unity, the Prime Minister asked the Congress to inform about its objections to the ordinance.
Denying that he had doubted the patriotism of Muslims or any other section during his speech yesterday in Hyderabad, Mr Vajpayee said he had convened a meeting of the Opposition leaders tomorrow at 6.30 pm and expressed the hope that a consensus would emerge at the deliberations.
“The new measures are not aimed at minorities or any other section but meant only to target terrorists”, he said in an obvious effort to allay apprehensions of a certain section.
Lashing out at Samajawadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav, who, according to the Prime Minister, has no business to disrupt question hour by raising the issue, Mr Vajpayee said: “Is Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav not bound by recent norms agreed to by all parties?”.
Saying that heavens would not have fallen had he raised the issue after an hour, the Prime Minister said, “Is this not politics. If not politics, is it a social service”.
Mr Yadav, by raising the issue during question hour, wanted to play politics to show that he was in the forefront in the Opposition on the POTO issue, Mr Vajpayee said.
Referring to the Opposition charge that the ruling party was indulging in politics, the Prime Minister said, “We have come here for politics. But, one has to be above party politics when the interest of the nation are at stake”.
If the Opposition could do politics, the Treasury Benches too could respond appropriately, he observed.
Earlier, the Opposition made a scathing attack on the Prime Minister’s reported remarks in Hyderabad which, they said, had cast aspersions on patriotism of the Opposition and minorities.
Asking the Prime Minister whether he wanted to run the country in this manner, Opposition leaders asserted that they would continue to oppose the “draconian” ordinance.
Appealing to the Opposition to “reconsider their stand” and support the move, Prime Minister asked, “Isn’t it true that the Opposition is not cooperating?”.
He said Congress President Sonia Gandhi had criticised POTO so he, too, should have an opportunity to put across his views. “If I speak, they raise issues of propriety”.
Earlier, as soon as question hour began, the Samajwadi Party President stood up and demanded suspension of question hour in the Lok Sabha today.
Despite protests by Mr Yadav, Congress member Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi and others, Lok Sabha Speaker G.M.C. Balayogi did not allow them to raise the issue.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Teachers to cease work from Dec 4
Stir may hit exams in Punjab, UT
Chandigarh, December 1
The constitutional crisis arising out of non-implementation of the Pension-Gratuity Act by the SAD-BJP government in Punjab is threatening to disrupt the forthcoming examination season yet again with teachers of 140 non-government aided colleges up in arms against the inaction by the government in this regard.
To begin with, the nearly 5000-strong teachers’ brigade has given a call for “Total Ceasework” in these colleges spread over Punjab and Chandigarh from December 4 to 10 with the understanding that the protest would be intensified “to wake the government from its deep slumber” in case the government refuses to budge.
It has also been decided that the State Executive Committee of the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union (PCCTU) would court arrest on December 3.
The immediate provocation in the 1999-notified Act has come by way of a letter issued by the Finance Department of the Punjab Government, washing its hands off the scheme and passing the buck to private managements of these colleges. The letter issued by the department to the Principal Secretary, Higher Education, in a complete turnaround from earlier claims, says the funds for the scheme would not come from the government treasury.
Claiming that it is a major deviation from the past notification of the government, Fellow, Panjab University, and former General Secretary, PCCTU, Prof. Charanjit Chawla, says, “The government has played foul with us and deprived teachers of what is rightfully theirs for almost 12 years. How does the government expect the fund-starved managements to meet the expenses? We opposed this move tooth and nail in 1990 and we will do so now. The government will have to relent and take responsibility.”
The Secretary of the Chandigarh District Council of PCCTU, Prof. Karamjit Singh, adds, “We have wasted precious time on empty assurances of the government. This time we will not give in till we have our way. The government is being unreasonable, so can we be if that is what it takes to get our due.”
It maybe recalled that the PCCTU had raised a demand for the pension-gratuity scheme in college in 1990 after which the government had issued a notification accepting the demand and asking the private managements to pay up. However, this was rejected by the PCCTU and in 1995, this was introduced as a Bill in the Punjab Assembly along with the Finance Bill of the Congress government.
Later, in January, 1996, the then Chief Minister, Mr Harcharan Singh Brar, issued a 34-page notification on the matter for teachers and non-teachers employed in these colleges. This was circulated to all college principals in December, 1996, and the SAD-BJP government, in April 1998, issued an executive order implementing the pension-cum-gratuity scheme in lieu of the Contributory Provident Fund against aided posts.
The Badal-government brought the Bill to the Assembly where it was unanimously accepted by the House on March 30, 1999, and signed by the Governor in the form of an Act on April 26, 1999.
“When all constitutional bodies have cleared the scheme, the non-implementation amounts to flouting the norms of the Constitution. This recent letter by the Finance department is all set to rake up a fresh controversy and hamper the smooth examination process,” Prof Chawla said.
Meanwhile, the principals of non-government aided colleges are meeting at Jallandhar on December 2 to plan tiding over the difficult situation presented by the “ceasework” call of the PCCTU and its fallout in case the government fails to respond and come to their rescue.
Chandigarh, December 1
The constitutional crisis arising out of non-implementation of the Pension-Gratuity Act by the SAD-BJP government in Punjab is threatening to disrupt the forthcoming examination season yet again with teachers of 140 non-government aided colleges up in arms against the inaction by the government in this regard.
To begin with, the nearly 5000-strong teachers’ brigade has given a call for “Total Ceasework” in these colleges spread over Punjab and Chandigarh from December 4 to 10 with the understanding that the protest would be intensified “to wake the government from its deep slumber” in case the government refuses to budge.
It has also been decided that the State Executive Committee of the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union (PCCTU) would court arrest on December 3.
The immediate provocation in the 1999-notified Act has come by way of a letter issued by the Finance Department of the Punjab Government, washing its hands off the scheme and passing the buck to private managements of these colleges. The letter issued by the department to the Principal Secretary, Higher Education, in a complete turnaround from earlier claims, says the funds for the scheme would not come from the government treasury.
Claiming that it is a major deviation from the past notification of the government, Fellow, Panjab University, and former General Secretary, PCCTU, Prof. Charanjit Chawla, says, “The government has played foul with us and deprived teachers of what is rightfully theirs for almost 12 years. How does the government expect the fund-starved managements to meet the expenses? We opposed this move tooth and nail in 1990 and we will do so now. The government will have to relent and take responsibility.”
The Secretary of the Chandigarh District Council of PCCTU, Prof. Karamjit Singh, adds, “We have wasted precious time on empty assurances of the government. This time we will not give in till we have our way. The government is being unreasonable, so can we be if that is what it takes to get our due.”
It maybe recalled that the PCCTU had raised a demand for the pension-gratuity scheme in college in 1990 after which the government had issued a notification accepting the demand and asking the private managements to pay up. However, this was rejected by the PCCTU and in 1995, this was introduced as a Bill in the Punjab Assembly along with the Finance Bill of the Congress government.
Later, in January, 1996, the then Chief Minister, Mr Harcharan Singh Brar, issued a 34-page notification on the matter for teachers and non-teachers employed in these colleges. This was circulated to all college principals in December, 1996, and the SAD-BJP government, in April 1998, issued an executive order implementing the pension-cum-gratuity scheme in lieu of the Contributory Provident Fund against aided posts.
The Badal-government brought the Bill to the Assembly where it was unanimously accepted by the House on March 30, 1999, and signed by the Governor in the form of an Act on April 26, 1999.
“When all constitutional bodies have cleared the scheme, the non-implementation amounts to flouting the norms of the Constitution. This recent letter by the Finance department is all set to rake up a fresh controversy and hamper the smooth examination process,” Prof Chawla said.
Meanwhile, the principals of non-government aided colleges are meeting at Jallandhar on December 2 to plan tiding over the difficult situation presented by the “ceasework” call of the PCCTU and its fallout in case the government fails to respond and come to their rescue.
Dhumal removes Principal Secy, appoints Sein
Shimla, December 1
In a major reshuffle at the top bureaucratic level in Himachal Pradesh today, the Chief Minister’s Principal Secretary, Mr Ajay Mittal, was removed from the post and Mr Bhim Sein appointed in his place.
Mr Bhim Sein was presently Managing Director of the H.P. Civil Supplies Corporation. Mr Mittal goes as Secretary, Industries and Personnel.
Kanwar Shamsher Singh, Financial Commissioner (Irrigation and Public Health) has been appointed Chairman of the Electricity Board (HPSEB) relieving Mr Harsh Gupta, Chief Secretary, of the charge.
Mr S.K. Sood, Financial Commissioner (PWD), has been given the charge of the Finance Department in place of Ms Asha Swaroop, who has proceeded on central deputation. He will also hold charge of the Departments of Planning, Statistics and 20-point programme.
Mr S.S. Negi, Financial Commissioner (Appeals), will now also hold charge of Housing.
Mr Avay Shukla, Financial Commissioner (Forests), has also been given charge of the IPH Department. Mr Subhash Negi, Secretary (Industries), has been shifted to the PWD. He will also hold charge of the Tribal Development.
Ms Upma Chaudhary, Managing Director (Financial Corporation), has been given the additional charge of member (Finance) in the HPSEB. Mr Prem Kumar, Managing Director, of Indusrial Development Corporation, has been appointed Secretary (GAD) and SAD) in place of Dr A.R. Basu, who has been shifted to the urban development trainings and foreign assignments.
Mr B.S. Chauhan, Secretary (Personnel), will now hold charge as Secretary, Ayurveda and Food and Supplies. Mr Bhim Sein will also hold charge of Secretary, Information and Public Relations and Excise and Taxation. Mr Ajay Mittal will also look after computerisation, formulation and implementation of information technology. Mr K.C. Verma, Registrar, Cooperative Societies, shall hold additional charge of Managing Director, Civil Supplies Corporation. Mr R.D. Dhiman, Director, Food and Supplies, has been appointed Managing Director, Industrial Development Corporation. He will also hold charge of the General Industries Corporation and Small Scale Industries and Export Corporation. Mr Bharat Bhushan, Director, Urban Development, has been posted as Director, Food and Supplies. Mr Rajesh Kumar, Registrar, H.P. Administrative Tribunal, goes as Director, Urban Development.
In a major reshuffle at the top bureaucratic level in Himachal Pradesh today, the Chief Minister’s Principal Secretary, Mr Ajay Mittal, was removed from the post and Mr Bhim Sein appointed in his place.
Mr Bhim Sein was presently Managing Director of the H.P. Civil Supplies Corporation. Mr Mittal goes as Secretary, Industries and Personnel.
Kanwar Shamsher Singh, Financial Commissioner (Irrigation and Public Health) has been appointed Chairman of the Electricity Board (HPSEB) relieving Mr Harsh Gupta, Chief Secretary, of the charge.
Mr S.K. Sood, Financial Commissioner (PWD), has been given the charge of the Finance Department in place of Ms Asha Swaroop, who has proceeded on central deputation. He will also hold charge of the Departments of Planning, Statistics and 20-point programme.
Mr S.S. Negi, Financial Commissioner (Appeals), will now also hold charge of Housing.
Mr Avay Shukla, Financial Commissioner (Forests), has also been given charge of the IPH Department. Mr Subhash Negi, Secretary (Industries), has been shifted to the PWD. He will also hold charge of the Tribal Development.
Ms Upma Chaudhary, Managing Director (Financial Corporation), has been given the additional charge of member (Finance) in the HPSEB. Mr Prem Kumar, Managing Director, of Indusrial Development Corporation, has been appointed Secretary (GAD) and SAD) in place of Dr A.R. Basu, who has been shifted to the urban development trainings and foreign assignments.
Mr B.S. Chauhan, Secretary (Personnel), will now hold charge as Secretary, Ayurveda and Food and Supplies. Mr Bhim Sein will also hold charge of Secretary, Information and Public Relations and Excise and Taxation. Mr Ajay Mittal will also look after computerisation, formulation and implementation of information technology. Mr K.C. Verma, Registrar, Cooperative Societies, shall hold additional charge of Managing Director, Civil Supplies Corporation. Mr R.D. Dhiman, Director, Food and Supplies, has been appointed Managing Director, Industrial Development Corporation. He will also hold charge of the General Industries Corporation and Small Scale Industries and Export Corporation. Mr Bharat Bhushan, Director, Urban Development, has been posted as Director, Food and Supplies. Mr Rajesh Kumar, Registrar, H.P. Administrative Tribunal, goes as Director, Urban Development.
Murderer of teacher identified
Assailant hired by Kadian men?
Panipat, December 1
The Panipat police is believed to be on the verge of working out the gruesome murder of a retired teacher, Ms Joginder Kaur, in which the involvement of certain close relatives and supporters of the Haryana Assembly Speaker, Mr Satbir Singh Kadian, is being alleged. The police is said to have identified the killer.
Ms Joginder Kaur was shot point blank by an unidentified person when she was sitting in the chamber of her advocate, Mr Satbir Singh Kundu, on the premises of the district courts here on November 26. She had gone to the court for recording of her statement against men of Mr Kadian in a case related to unauthorised demolition of her house by them last year.
The alleged involvement of Mr Kadian’s relatives in the demolition case and the subsequent murder of Ms Joginder Kaur has led to a demand by the Opposition that he (Mr Kadian) should quit his post and the investigations be handed over to the CBI. Even the Punjab and Haryana High Court has taken notice of the murder on the court premises.
A brother of Ms Joginder Kaur had entered into an agreement to sell the house in which she was residing to the alleged supporters of Mr Kadian last year. On the intervening night of June 21 and June 22 last year, a group of 20 armed persons reached the prime property, said to be worth Rs 2.50 crore, along with a bulldozer and demolished the building after kidnapping the woman.
However, they were thwarted in their designs by the police, which arrested 21 persons, who are still in jail.
After the High Court took notice of the murder, the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, transferred the case from the Panipat police to the Crime Branch. However, informed sources say it was the Panipat police led by the Additional SP, Mr Rajinder Singh, which succeeded in collecting the vital clues, which led to the identification of the person who shot dead Ms Joginder Kaur.
Sources say the killer was hired by persons alleged to be supporters of Mr Kadian, who are in Ambala jail.
The sources say these persons came into contact with a hardened criminal, Kuldip Kalwa, who is also in Ambala Central Jail, facing trial for allegedly murdering a Panipat businessman, Pritam Ahuja. A deal was struck between Kuldip and the alleged supporters of Mr Kadian. Kuldip was to get 25 per cent share in the house of Ms Joginder Kaur for getting her eliminated before she was to give evidence in the court on November 26.
The sources say Kuldip contracted the job to one Sunil, alias Sheelu, wanted in several criminal cases by police of a number of districts. Sunil is believed to be a resident of Lat village under Gohana police station of Sonepat.
The Panipat police had yesterday procured the remand of Umed Singh Dahiya and Dinesh Paliwal, two of the four persons who had purchased the disputed house from Ms Joginder Kaur’s brother, Mr Manjit Singh. The sources said they had revealed the involvement of Kuldip in the controversy during interrogation.
Three more suspects, Kuldip, Sher Singh alias Sheru and Mahipal, were taken in custody from the Ambala jail by the Panipat police today. They have been remanded in to police custody for three days. The police is hopeful that the interrogation of Kuldip will lead to the arrest of Sunil.
However, the Opposition parties are pressing their demand for the resignation of Mr Kadian and a CBI probe into the case. The Chairman of the Parliamentary Board of the HVP, Mr Kanwal Singh, and Mr Satbir Singh Kundu, convener of the All-Party Sangharsh Samiti, allege that certain relatives of Mr Kadian, including his brother, Rajinder Singh, his brother-in-law, Rattan Singh and Mr Dharam Pal were involved in demolishing the teacher’s house.
Though Ms Joginder Kaur had named Mr Kadian and his relatives in the case, the police told the court that during investigation no evidence of their involvement had been found.
Mr Kundu said when the police could not or did not find any evidence of the involvement of Mr Kadian’s relatives in the demolition case how then would it find their involvement in the murder. He said only a probe by an independent agency like the CBI would bring out the truth and satisfy the people about the genuineness of the investigation.
Panipat, December 1
The Panipat police is believed to be on the verge of working out the gruesome murder of a retired teacher, Ms Joginder Kaur, in which the involvement of certain close relatives and supporters of the Haryana Assembly Speaker, Mr Satbir Singh Kadian, is being alleged. The police is said to have identified the killer.
Ms Joginder Kaur was shot point blank by an unidentified person when she was sitting in the chamber of her advocate, Mr Satbir Singh Kundu, on the premises of the district courts here on November 26. She had gone to the court for recording of her statement against men of Mr Kadian in a case related to unauthorised demolition of her house by them last year.
The alleged involvement of Mr Kadian’s relatives in the demolition case and the subsequent murder of Ms Joginder Kaur has led to a demand by the Opposition that he (Mr Kadian) should quit his post and the investigations be handed over to the CBI. Even the Punjab and Haryana High Court has taken notice of the murder on the court premises.
A brother of Ms Joginder Kaur had entered into an agreement to sell the house in which she was residing to the alleged supporters of Mr Kadian last year. On the intervening night of June 21 and June 22 last year, a group of 20 armed persons reached the prime property, said to be worth Rs 2.50 crore, along with a bulldozer and demolished the building after kidnapping the woman.
However, they were thwarted in their designs by the police, which arrested 21 persons, who are still in jail.
After the High Court took notice of the murder, the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, transferred the case from the Panipat police to the Crime Branch. However, informed sources say it was the Panipat police led by the Additional SP, Mr Rajinder Singh, which succeeded in collecting the vital clues, which led to the identification of the person who shot dead Ms Joginder Kaur.
Sources say the killer was hired by persons alleged to be supporters of Mr Kadian, who are in Ambala jail.
The sources say these persons came into contact with a hardened criminal, Kuldip Kalwa, who is also in Ambala Central Jail, facing trial for allegedly murdering a Panipat businessman, Pritam Ahuja. A deal was struck between Kuldip and the alleged supporters of Mr Kadian. Kuldip was to get 25 per cent share in the house of Ms Joginder Kaur for getting her eliminated before she was to give evidence in the court on November 26.
The sources say Kuldip contracted the job to one Sunil, alias Sheelu, wanted in several criminal cases by police of a number of districts. Sunil is believed to be a resident of Lat village under Gohana police station of Sonepat.
The Panipat police had yesterday procured the remand of Umed Singh Dahiya and Dinesh Paliwal, two of the four persons who had purchased the disputed house from Ms Joginder Kaur’s brother, Mr Manjit Singh. The sources said they had revealed the involvement of Kuldip in the controversy during interrogation.
Three more suspects, Kuldip, Sher Singh alias Sheru and Mahipal, were taken in custody from the Ambala jail by the Panipat police today. They have been remanded in to police custody for three days. The police is hopeful that the interrogation of Kuldip will lead to the arrest of Sunil.
However, the Opposition parties are pressing their demand for the resignation of Mr Kadian and a CBI probe into the case. The Chairman of the Parliamentary Board of the HVP, Mr Kanwal Singh, and Mr Satbir Singh Kundu, convener of the All-Party Sangharsh Samiti, allege that certain relatives of Mr Kadian, including his brother, Rajinder Singh, his brother-in-law, Rattan Singh and Mr Dharam Pal were involved in demolishing the teacher’s house.
Though Ms Joginder Kaur had named Mr Kadian and his relatives in the case, the police told the court that during investigation no evidence of their involvement had been found.
Mr Kundu said when the police could not or did not find any evidence of the involvement of Mr Kadian’s relatives in the demolition case how then would it find their involvement in the murder. He said only a probe by an independent agency like the CBI would bring out the truth and satisfy the people about the genuineness of the investigation.
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