13012022-TTB-01.qxd 1/13/2022 12:25 AM Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 142 NO.13 | 14 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2021-2023 ESTABLISHED IN 1881  HARYANA TASNIM TOPS U-19 WORLD BADMINTON RANKING SPORT /thetribunechd RIFT WITH RUSSIA WILL BE HARD TO BRIDGE: NATO CHIEF WORLD INDUSTRIAL OUTPUT PM INAUGURATES 11 MUTED, INFLATION AT MEDICAL COLLEGES 6-MONTH HIGH BUSINESS IN TN BACK PAGE thursday | 13 january 2022 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com Justice Malhotra to head probe on security lapse Satya Prakash Tribune News Service New Delhi, January 12 The Supreme Court today appointed former SC Judge Indu Malhotra as chairperson of a five-member committee to probe into the security lapse during the PM Narendra Modi’s visit to Punjab last week. A Bench led by CJI NV Ramana said the other members on the panel would be the NIA DG or an IG-level officer nominated by him; DGP of the Union Territory of Chandigarh; ADGP (Security), Punjab; and Registrar General of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. “We are of the considered Marathon meeting on LAC resolution, Army Chief says PLA threat persists Tribune News Service 5-MEMBER COMMITTEE ■ The committee will probe causes of security breach ■ Ascertain who were the per- sons responsible for it ■ Recommend measures for preventing such lapses opinion that these questions cannot be left to be resolved through one-sided inquiries. continued on page 9 New Delhi, January 12 Military Commanders of India and China were locked in a marathon meeting on Wednesday to resolve the issues at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. The 14th round of Corps Commander-level talks on the border standoff were held on the Chinese side of the Chushul-Moldo meeting point. The talks started around 9.30 am and continued late into the night. There was no official statement on NOT AGAINST SIACHEN DEMILITARISATION We are not averse to demilitarisation of Siachen Glacier. However, Pak must accept the Actual Ground Position Line (AGPL) before any disengagement takes place. ❝ Indian and Chinese soldiers exchange sweets at the border. FILE the dialogue till the filing of the report. The major focus of talks would be on disen- gagement in the Hot Springs area, called Patrolling Point 15, in eastern Ladakh. The Majithia quizzed for 2 hours in NDPS case, alleges plot Tribune News Service ‘DRUGS FOR VOTE’: NOTICE TO PB ELECTION PANEL Chandigarh, January 12 Senior SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia today joined probe in the alleged drug smuggling case against him. A three-member special investigation team (SIT) led by AIG Balraj Singh questioned him for about two hours at the state crime branch police station. The questioning began around 11 am. Granting interim anticipatory bail to the Akali leader on Monday, the Punjab and Haryana High Court Jaish terrorist, cop killed; 3 soldiers injured More trouble for BJP in UP, another minister resigns from Yogi Cabinet Srinagar, January 12 A Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorist and a policeman were killed and five persons, including three soldiers, injured in an encounter in J&K’s Kulgam district on Wednesday, the police said. Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in the Pariwan area following information on the presence of militants, officials said. The operation turned into an encounter after militants opened fire. IGP (Kashmir zone) Vijay Kumar tweeted: “A JeM terrorist was killed. One cop, Sg Ct Rohit Chhib, attained martyrdom. Three soldiers were injured.” — PTI Vibha Sharma ■ The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday took cognisance of ‘drugs for vote’ incidents in Punjab ■ It issued notice to the State Election Commission to solicit its response on ensuring ‘drugs-free’ elections ■ It made the Election Commission of India a party to case and fixed January 20 as the next date of hearing Tribune News Service New Delhi, January 12 In another jolt to the ruling BJP in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, state minister Dara Singh Chauhan on Wednesday resigned from the Yogi Adityanath Cabinet. Earlier on Tuesday, minister Swami Prasad Maurya quit and three MLAs announced resignation from the party. Chauhan hit out at CM Yogi and the BJP saying , oppressed, poor, backward, Dalits and youth “on whose shoulders the BJP rode to power in 2017, did not get justice, while others took all benefits”. An OBC like Mau- had asked him to appear before the SIT, barred him from leaving the country till the next date of hearing and Warrant against Maurya day after resignation Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav with allies in Lucknow. PTI rya, Chauhan said he would consult his samaj before deciding the next course of action even as the SP tweeted a welcome message. Party chief Akhilesh Yadav Cong under pressure to name Pb CM nominee Rajmeet Singh Tribune News Service CM FACE NEXT WEEK, DECLARES KEJRIWAL ■ Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday said the party would announce its CM face next week ■ He said an alliance with the Sanyukt Samaj Morcha could not be forged because of differences over seat-sharing ■ “The Morcha demanded 60 seats. We had already announced candidates on 90 seats. We offered them 10-15 seats, but they did not agree,” he said. TNS Chandigarh, January 12 Pressure is mounting on the Congress high command to declare a CM face for the forthcoming Assembly elections. Raising the issue at different levels of the party forum over the past few days, several leaders, including some ministers, have been demanding that instead of giving the Opposition a chance to raise the issue, the party should clearly name the chief ministerial candidate. Charanjit Singh Channi and Navjot Singh Sidhu are two main contenders for the to share with the SIT his live location through WhatsApp. Talking to the media later, Majithia alleged he was a vic- party’s CM face. A senior AICC leader said the Congress was waiting for AAP to declare its CM face before announcing its own decision. The names of former PPCC chiefs Sunil Jakhar and Partap Bajwa need to be kept in mind while analysing the scenario. A senior party leader said Rahul Gandhi had announced Capt Amarinder Singh as the CM face a week before the 2017 poll. “The party used the Punjabi (Capt Amarinder) versus non-Punjabi (Kejriwal) narrative to take the edge. This time, continued on page 9 lauded him as a “relentless fighter of the struggle for social justice”. He said, “The SP and its allies will unite and empower the movement continued on page 9 No lockdown plan, migrants needn’t panic, says DC Tribune News Service Gurugram, January 12 Putting an end to rumours, Gurugram Deputy Commissioner Dr Yash Garg today said the Covid-19 situation in the district was under control and that there was no need to impose any lockdown. “People should abstain from rumour mongering and make migrant workers around them aware about the real situation. We are maintaining a close watch so that there is no panic exodus. Everyone should, however, exercise Covid-appropriate continued on page 9 Booked for graft, ex-Mayor of Dharamsala cries vendetta Dharamsala, January 12 The state vigilance and anticorruption bureau has booked former Dharamsala Mayor Davinder Jaggi and former Executive Officer Mahesh Dutt Sharma under the Prevention of Corruption CAUSED ~1.4 CR ‘LOSS’ TO DHARAMSALA MC ■ Ex-Mayor Davinder Jaggi was leased prime building for ~20,111 rent per month ■ Original contract was allegedly changed in con- nivance with then EO ■ Local body got ~18.38 lakh during 2006-19, Jaggi earned over ~1.60 crore by further leasing it Act. The matter pertains to the allotment of a prime building used as a guest house adjoining the MC office on lease to the former Mayor. It has been alleged that the while the local body continued on page 9 tim of political vendetta. He reportedly told the SIT that a “conspiracy” had been hatched against him by Punjab Congress chief Navjot Sidhu, former DGP Siddharth Chattopadhyaya and Home Minister SS Randhawa. Majithia was booked under the NDPS Act on December 20 last year. The 49-page FIR is largely based on a status report filed by STF chief Harpreet Singh Sidhu. General Naravane issue of the Depsang Bulge, a 972-sq km plateau, would be taken up after the Hot Springs gets resolved. The troop build-up on either side, for now, shows no signs of getting back to the pre-April 2020 levels. Meanwhile, Army Chief General MM Naravane said talks were important to resolve the border issues, though each round might not “have an outcome”. The threat level at the LAC “has not reduced” and force levels were more or less the same, he said at a press conference in the Capital ahead of Army Day (January 15). The Army continued on back page IN BRIEF Rocket scientist Somanath next ISRO chief NEW DELHI: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet on Wednesday appointed prominent rocket scientist S Somanath as Chairman, ISRO, and Secretary, Department of Space. TNS 18 Maj Generals move AFT over pension issue CHANDIGARH: The Armed Forces Tribunal has sought an explanation from the MoD after a plea was filed by 18 Major General-rank officers, who are drawing pension lower than their juniors. BACK PAGE U’khand ex-Cong chief sacked from party posts NEW DELHI: Former Uttarakhand Congress president Kishor Upadhyay was on Wednesday sacked from all party posts. TNS Notice to Centre, U’khand over hate speeches Tribune News Service New Delhi, January 12 The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notices to the Centre, Uttarakhand Government and Delhi Police on a PIL seeking action against those who delivered hate speeches during the ‘Dharam Sansad’ held at Haridwar and an event organised by ‘Hindu Yuva Vahini’ in Delhi last month. ‘SULLI DEALS’ FORM OF HATE SPEECH, MUST BE CONDEMNED: UN Asking them to respond to the PIL filed by journalist Qurban Ali and senior advocate Anjana Prakash, a Bench led by CJI NV Ramana posted the matter for further hearing after 10 days. The petitioners have sought an “independent, credible and impartial investigation” by an SIT into the incidents of alleged hate speeches at the Dharam Sansad. On behalf of the petitioners, senior advocate Kapil Sibal urged the top court to stay the next Dharam Sansad scheduled to be held at Aligarh later this month and take up the matter on Monday for this purpose but the Bench didn’t pass any such orders. continued on page 9