13032023-LT-01.qxd 3/13/2023 12:23 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune ADOPT SAFETY MEASURES AGAINST H3N2: CIVIL SURGEON KAREENA KAPOOR KHAN’S TALK SHOW TO RETURN Kareena Kapoor Khan has shared news about the return of What Women Want on social media. P3 GENERALLY CLOUDY MAX 31°C | MIN 17°C YESTERDAY MAX 31°C | MIN 15°C ACTOR AMITABH BACHCHAN ON WAY TO RECOVERY With two deaths being reported in country due to H3N2 virus, Health Dept has sprung into action. P2 FORECAST Recently, Amitabh Bachchan had suffered a rib injury on the sets of Project K in Hyderabad. P4 » » SUNSET MONDAY 6.33 PM SUNRISE TUESDAY 6.38 AM » MONDAY | 13 MARCH 2023 | LUDHIANA LED TVs stolen from institute Tribune News Service Ludhiana, March 12 Thieves targeted a beautician institute on the Ferozepur road and decamped with LED TVs and other equipment. CCTV cameras have captured the suspects. Complainant Harpreet Kaur told the police that she was working as an assistant manager at Orange Beauty Academy. On the night of March 7, the institute was locked and on March 9, when they came to open it, its main shutter was found broken. “As we went inside, we found that thieves decamped with three LED TVs, expensive beauty products and some equipment from the institute. During the checking of footage captured on CCTV cameras, three suspects were seen stealing things. We submitted the CCTV footage to the police for investigation,” the complainant said. Investigating officer head constable Gurtej Singh said after registering a case against the unidentified miscreants, further probe into the case had been launched and soon the case would be cracked soon. Finance firm employee loot Refund ~11.45 lakh foreclosure charges to customer, bank told case cracked, two arrested Rajneesh Lakhanpal ~50K loot money, mobike used to commit crime recovered Tribune News Service Ludhiana, March 12 The Khanna police today claimed to have solved a loot case in which a finance company employee was robbed of Rs 50,000 and a mobile phone. The police arrested two suspects in the case. The duo have been identified as Harpal Singh, alias Ricky, of Fatehgarh Sahib and Gurpreet Singh, alias Guri, a resident of Machhiwara. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Samrala, Waryam Singh, and Machhiwara SHO Inspector Davinderpal Singh addressed a press conference regarding the matter today. On March 9, Sultan Singh, who works with a private finance company as a collection agent, lodged a police complaint that he had made a collection of Rs 50,000 from clients in Khanna and Samrala. When he was returning to Machhiwara on his motorcycle, he was cornered by a masked motorcycle-borne person on Samrala DSP Waryam Singh addresses mediapersons regarding the arrests on Sunday. TRIBUNE PHOTO the Rattipur village road. Before he could understand anything, the suspect pointed a sharp weapon at him and snatched a bag containing cash along with his mobile phone. He told him not to reveal anything about the loot to the police else he will kill him. The complainant said he informed the police and his company owner about the incident. Man dies of ‘drug overdose’ at Chaunta village; four held Residents blame Koom Kalan police for failing to check drug menace Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, March 12 A 30-year-old man Beesa Singh died allegedly due to drug overdose at Chaunta village. His body was found outside the smart school at the village. A syringe was also found near the body as it is being suspected that overdose of drugs seems to have become the cause of his death. Four suspects, Mukhtiar Singh, Harjot Singh, Surjit Singh and Sonu, all residents of Chaunta village, were arrested by the police for allegedly selling drugs to the deceased. After the incident, village residents and activists of farmer unions also gathered at the spot and condemned the local Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA and the Koom Kalan police for failing to take action against the rising drug menace in the village. Chaunta village sarpanch Butta Singh said the police and the Residents hold a protest at Chaunta village in Ludhiana on Sunday. local MLA was apprised of the easy availability of drugs in the area several times but nobody took the matter seriously. The village had several youths who were drug addicts and they not even listen to their parents. The police and the administration need to launch a drive to end the menace, he said. Manjit Kaur, who was holding a protest near the body along with other village women, said if AAP fails to find any solution to the problem, residents along with members of farmer unions would start an indefinite protest. They said the deceased was a daily wager and his father Chand Singh too was a labourer. Recently his father had got him admitted to a drug deaddiction centre and a few days ago only he returned from there. But later, he again started taking drugs. The Koom Kalan police registered a case against Mukhtiar, Harjot, Surjit and Sonu, who had sold ‘chitta’ to the victim, on the charge of culpable homicide. Later, they conducted raids and nabbed the four persons. The police said four suspects, all residents of the village, were arrested in the case. The DSP said the police probe led to the arrest of Harpal and Rs 25,000 looted money along with the motorcycle used in the crime was seized from him. During questioning, Harpal admitted that Gurpreet was also involved in the conspiracy and half of the looted amount (Rs 25,000) was given to him. Accordingly, the police nabbed Gurpreet and recov- Cops seize 62 poppy plants Tribune News Service Ludhiana, March 12 The Jagraon police yesterday seized 62 poppy plants from the fields of a farmer at Bodalwala village in Jagraon. The police registered a case against the suspect, identified as Nachatar Singh, alias Lala (55), a resident of Bodalwala. Investigating officer ASI Gurnam Singh said a police party was patrolling in the area when a tip-off was received that the suspect was cultivating poppy and he had planted several plants in his fields. His aim was to get opium from the plants. The ASI said the police conducted a raid and seized 62 plants of poppy. However, the farmer managed to give the slip to the police. He said now, raids were being conducted at whereabouts of the farmer. After his arrest, his questioning might unveil for how long he was growing poppy plants and whether he was selling narcotics to his clients or not. A case under the NDPS Act was registered against him. ered Rs 25,000 from him. Waryam said Gurpreet was a friend of Sultan and he knew about movements of the victim. Gurpreet updated his accomplice Harpal about the exact location of the victim and sent him to commit the loot. Now, the police remand of the suspects would be sought to inquire about their involvement in other loot cases, the DSP added. Ludhiana, March 12 The Permanent Lok Adalat (PLA) has quashed the demand of Rs 11,45,344 imposed by a bank on its customer as foreclosure charges for closing a loan before scheduled time, terming the same to be against the principles of natural justice, equity and fair play. Delivering the verdict, the PLA Chairman, Balwinder Singh Sandhu, and its members Anju Garg and Rajwinder Kaur directed the banker to refund the illegally recovered amount of Rs 11,45,344 along with interest @ 9% per annum from the date of its recovery to the customer. The orders were pronounced by the PLA while deciding a complaint moved by Jatinder Pal Singh, proprietor of Safal Pesticides, Rahon Road, Khawajke village, Ludhiana. The complainant has submitted before the PLA that he had availed a loan facility of Rs 1.88 crore in January 2016 from IndusInd Bank Limited, Pakhowal road branch, Ludhiana. Then another loan of Rs 50 lakh was taken in July 2016 RESERVE BANK NORMS VIOLATED It was stated that the RBI has already directed all non-banking finance companies not to impose such foreclosure charges, especially from individual borrowers, on term loans having floating rate of interest vide a circular issued in 2014-2015. Hence, the banker has violated such terms. and Rs 18 lakh was released to him in July 2017 as loan. In April 2018, the complainant requested the banker to disclose the outstanding amount in the loan accounts. Then the applicant came to know that the respondents unreasonably, wrongly and unscrupulously deducted Rs 11,45,344 as foreclosure charges without any intimation and also without any agreement or reason. It was stated that the RBI has already directed all nonbanking finance companies not to impose such foreclosure charges, especially from individual borrowers on term loans having floating rate of interest vide a circular issued in 20142015. Hence, the banker has violated such terms. On the other hand, the banker refuted the allegations levelled by the complainant. It was pleaded that such circular of the RBI was not applicable to the case in hand because the loan was not sanctioned to an individual because the same was sanctioned and released to the firm, Safal pesticides, and thus, such amount was rightly charged. After hearing the contentions, the PLA observed that the proprietorship concern was having no legal entity. It was only the proprietor of the firm who was having legal entity. So, the loan in question was to be considered to have been received by the complainant individually being the sole proprietor of the said firm. “So once such guidelines of the RBI are there and the same are binding upon the respondent bank any clause in the loan agreement, contrary to such guidelines of the RBI, cannot come to the rescue of the bank and the bank cannot travel beyond such binding instructions by taking shelter of any such clause of imposing pre-payment charges in the loan agreement between the parties,” the PLA further observed. VIOLATION OF BUILDING BYLAWS Activist challenges town planner’s claims of action against offenders Kuldip Bhatia Ludhiana, March 12 Unlawful building activities in most parts of the city continue unabated even when field staff and supervisory officials of the building branch of the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation are facing proceedings for negligence of duty in several courts, the Vigilance wing of the Local Government and the Punjab State Human Rights Commission (PSHRC). In a fresh development, social activist Arvind Sharma has levelled allegations of collusion and corruption against field staff (building inspectors) and their supervisory officials (assistant town planners), blaming them for the illegal buildings that continue to flourish in the city. During the hearing of his complaint with the PSHRC, Sharma challenged the report (dated An illegal commercial building under construction in Ludhiana. PROVIDES EVIDENCE TO RIGHTS PANEL In support of his allegations, activist Arvind Sharma provided photographic evidence of over six illegal commercial buildings being constructed in different parts of the city with non-compoundable violations such as hundred per cent coverage, coverage of parking area, house line violation, etc, to the PSHRC. January 12) submitted by the Municipal Town Planner, in which he had claimed that action, as per law, was being taken in case of a building being constructed without the approval of building plans. The complainant, in his rejoinder, alleged that action taken against illegal buildings remained on paper, and in most cases, deals were struck by filed staff (or even officials) with unscrupulous builders and unlawful building activity continued unabated right under the nose of MC officials. In support of his allegations, Sharma provided photographic evidence of over six illegal commercial buildings being constructed in different parts of the city with non-compoundable violations such as hundred per cent coverage, coverage of parking area, house line violation, etc. Accusing the MC staff of misleading the rights panel, Sharma said if MC officials had been taking action against unlawful buildings, how could such a large number of illegal buildings appear all across the city. The PSHRC has sought comments from the DC and the MC Commissioner in the matter and the case will be taken up for next hearing on July 12. LIT to issue allotment letters by month-end Man shot at over money dispute Tribune News Service ATAL APARTMENTS Our Correspondent Ludhiana, March 12 After a long wait, the ambitious high-rise housing scheme of the Ludhiana Improvement Trust (LIT) — Atal Apartments — seems to be coming back on track as allottees of MIG and HIG flats will soon get their allotment letters after almost nine months of the draw of lots, which was done in June last year. In the draw of lots, all 336 HIG flats were allotted - 283 HOUSING PROJECT TO COME UP ON 8.8-ACRE LAND As per LIT Chairman Tarsem Singh Bhinder, the housing project will come up on the land measuring 8.8 acres in Shaheed Karnail Singh Nagar on Pakhowal Road and would have all facilities, including community centre, swimming pool, gymnasium, commercial centre and parking lot. to general category applicants and 51 to reserved category applicants. However, as the applications for MIG flats were less in number than the total available facilities, only 151 of 240 flats were allotted and 89 remained unallotted. LIT chairman Tarsem Singh Bhinder said allotment letters to successful allottees of flats would be giv- en by the end of this month. “The officials and staff concerned have been directed to prepare allotment letters which will be handed over to the allottees in all probability before the end of March and we have requested Local Bodies Minister Inderbir Singh Nijhar to preside over a function and hand over the allotment letters to success- ful applicants,” Bhinder said. He added that the process had also been set in motion for another draw of lots for the allotment of the remaining 89 MIG flats which had remained unallotted due to less number of applications. “Fresh applications will be invited and draw will be conducted in due course of time. Being completely selffinanced, the housing project can go on stream only after all the flats proposed to be constructed are allotted,” the LIT chairman said. Notably, semi-furnished flats will be constructed by c m y b the Ludhiana Improvement Trust on a 100 per cent selffinancing basis. In addition, each tower in the complex would have two lifts each with 13-person capacity, stretcher lift in each block with 24-hour backup, washed grit finish with combination of red tiles on outer elevations, balconies in all rooms, drawing room and kitchen, rainwater harvesting systems with latest techniques, centralised fire hydrant system with yard hydrant and wet riser, provision for 24hour power backup for lifts and other facilities. Ludhiana, March 12 A man was shot at by some residents over a dispute of Rs 25,000 at Jamalpur Colony in Moti Nagar on Saturday night. The victim suffered a bullet injury on his arm and was undergoing treatment at a hospital. The Moti Nagar police registered a case of attempt to murder and under the Arms Act against the suspect, identified as Pretty Uppal and two unidentified persons. Complainant Harwinder Singh of Jamalpur Colony, who owns a fast food outlet in Samrala, told the police that yesterday night when he returned from Samrala after meeting his family at home, he went to attend a religious event at Jagraon, being organised by some local residents. “When I reached there, one of my friends told me that Pretty Uppal wanted to kill me and he was already looking for me. To save my life, I started running towards my house. Pretty, along with two other persons, started following me. Before I could enter my house, they fired shots at me and one of the bullets hit my arm. Listening the sound of firing, residents gathered at the spot due to which the assailants fled the scene. Afterwards, I rushed to a hospital for getting treatment,” he said. When asked about the reason behind the attack, Harwinder said to organise jagran (a religious event) in the area, Pretty sought Rs 25,000 donation from him. However, due to financial issues, he refused to give the money. As a result, Pretty threatened to kill him. The Moti Nagar police have been conducting raids to nab the suspects.