20022024-CT-01.qxd 2/20/2024 12:43 AM Page 1 c m y b Chandigarh tribune OPPENHEIMER SWEEPS 77TH BRITISH ACADEMY AWARDS GAME POINT, FINAL 12 DAYS OF ROGER FEDERER ON COURT SANDLER GETS PEOPLE'S ICON AT PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARDS Oppenheimer wins seven prizes; Poor Things takes home five; The Zone of Interest trails with three. P4 British filmmaker of Indian origin Asif Kapadia will do a documentary on Roger Federer. P4 Jennifer Aniston calls Adam Sandler ‘very good friend’ as she presents him with People's Icon Award. P4 » » AIR QUALITY INDEX CHANDIGARH 270 PANCHKULA 108 MOHALI 262 401-500 301-400 201-300 101-200 51-100 0-50 SEVERE VERY POOR POOR MODERATE SATISFACTORY GOOD INBRIEF MAN LOSES ~25L TO CYBER FRAUD Chandigarh: A fraudster has duped a man of Rs 25 lakh. Mohammad Safiqul, a resident of 12 Wing, Air Force Station, reported that an unidentified person cheated him through WhatsApp on the pretext of investment. A case has been registered at the cybercrime police station and investigation started. TNS CASH, MOBILE SNATCHED Chandigarh: Two unidentified persons reportedly snatched cash and a mobile phone from a Mauli Jagran resident. Ram Avadh reported that two persons snatched Rs 5,000, a mobile phone and his Aadhaar card from him near the Hallo Majra light point. A case has been registered at the Mauli Jagran police station. TNS ONE HELD FOR SCOOTER THEFT Chandigarh: The police have arrested a man for stealing a scooter. Rahul, a resident of Phase II, Ram Darbar, reported that his scooter was stolen from Sector 31. The police registered a case and during investigation, Armaan Mani, a resident of Sector 29, was arrested. TNS MAX 25°C | MIN 15°C YESTERDAY MAX 24.9°C | MIN 16.2°C SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 6.58 AM TWITTER/THETRIBUNECHD FACEBOOK/CHANDIGARHTRIBUNE After SC directions, AAP, Cong revive alliance 3 AAP councillors’ Babla’s Mullanpur induction leads to property sealed, rift in city unit of BJP alleges vendetta MAYORAL POLLS Sandeep Rana Tribune News Service Chandigarh, February 19 Supreme Court’s directions today seemed to have infused life back into INDIA bloc partners AAP and the Congress that had joined hands for the mayoral polls. Their alliance was on the verge of split in the wake of recent announcement by AAP that it would fight the city LS seat on its own. Soon after the apex court’s directions, senior leaders of the two parties held a meeting and resolved to stay together to defeat the BJP “I . had a meeting with AAP leaders today. I apprised them of our concerns. They listened to it and we have decided to continue with the alliance,” said HS Lucky, city Congress president. Earlier, dismayed at the recent AAP decision on contesting the city Lok Sabha seat and holding protests without taking the Congress along, the latter was in no mood to keep the alliance intact even for the civic body elections. Congress councillors had held a meeting and were of the view that the party should not continue with the alliance. The city unit of the party had conveyed their concerns to high command. However, Lucky said today that the central leadership had been conveyed that the alliance would be kept intact. City AAP co-in charge SS Ahluwalia said, “The people of Sandeep Rana Tribune News Service AAP-Congress mayoral candidate Kuldeep Kumar submits his nomination. FILE WHAT LED TO BREAKUP EARLIER Dismayed at the recent AAP decision on contesting the city Lok Sabha seat and holding protests without taking the Congress along, the latter was in no mood to keep the alliance intact even for the civic body elections. WILL CONTINUE WITH PACT: CONG ALLIANCE CANDIDATE TO BE MAYOR: AAP had a meeting ❝IAAP leaders today. I Chandigarh willof justice ❝The people get with apprised them of our concerns. They listened to it and we have decided to continue with the alliance from the Supreme Court and for the first time, the city will have a mayor from the Aam Aadmi PartyCongress alliance. HS Lucky, CITY CONGRESS PRESIDENT SS Ahluwalia, CITY AAP CO-IN CHARGE ❞ Chandigarh will get justice from the Supreme Court and for the first time, the city will have a mayor from the Aam Aadmi Party-Congress alliance.” Reacting to the court’s observations, he said, “The court was also informed by our lawyers that the councillors in Chandigarh are being threatened and stalked (allegedly) by the BJP . Besides, the way BJP council- ❞ lors and nominated councillors were trying to get the focus of cameras installed over Masih shifted, they are equally guilty in the murder of democracy.” In a statement, city BJP president Jatinderpal Malhotra said, “The matter is under consideration of the court and no final decision has been taken yet. It is too early continued on page 2 Winged guests APNI MANDI Chandigarh: Sectors 29, 56 and Dhanas Mohali: Sector 71 Panchkula: Sector 15 Snatchers’ gang busted, four land in police net Tribune News Service Migratory birds (bar-headed geese) in a pond at Mote Majra village in Mohali on Monday. These birds and others arrive at the site from October to February. TRIBUNE PHOTO: VICKY INSIDE 20 head of sheep crushed under speeding truck Tribune News Service Mohali, February 19 A speeding truck ran over around 20 sheep on the Chandigarh-Ambala national highway near Jawaharpur today evening. It was a gory sight with a flock of sheep lying lifeless on the road with blood all around. Some sheep were pregnant, eyewitnesses said. The two shepherds narrowly escaped by jumping to safety. Sheep owners Yasin Singh, a resident of Krakaur village and Kuldeep Singh, a resident of Sheikhpur Kalan village, said they had around 130 sheep which they took to graze across the Chandigarh-Ambala national highway. Today evening, when they were taking the sheep across the road near Jawaharpur village, a truck coming from the Ambala side crushed the sheep. Passersby informed the police after which the truck driver was arrested and his vehicle was impounded. After the accident, dead sheep lying on the side of the road led to a traffic jam on the highway. The police reached the spot and cleared the road. The Dera Bassi area is reeling under the terror of speeding tipper trucks. Several two-wheeler riders and pedestrians are crushed every month under the tyres of trucks. Today, even speechless cattle were not spared by the unregulated truck. Chandigarh, February 19 Though the induction of three AAP councillors into the BJP has given the latter a voting edge in the MC House, it has also caused a rift among leaders of the local unit of the saffron party. According to some party leaders, the three councillors were inducted into the BJP in the presence of former city BJP president Arun Sood and national party general secretary Vinod Tawde at the latter’s Delhi residence yesterday, without keeping the local leadership in the loop. A party leader said neither Chandigarh BJP in charge Vijay Rupani nor city unit president Jatinderpal Malhotra were present on the occasion. They were not kept in the loop unlike the previous occasion when AAP councillor Lakhbir Singh Billu joined the party in the presence of the local leadership led by the Malhotra. “So much so that even the party president was not aware of the three councillors joining the BJP He knew only about . Gurcharanjit Singh Kala agreeing to join the party. There is huge resentment among city party leaders owing to this,” shared a party Local unit not kept in the loop, allege leaders THIRD SWITCH IN 2 YEARS FOR KALA In less than two years, it’s a third party switch for Gurcharanjeet Singh Kala. Kala, who won councillor’s election on Congress ticket in 2021, joined the BJP in June 2022. In the run up to the January 30 mayoral polls, he dumped the saffron party to join AAP. In yet another shift, he came back to the BJP fold on Sunday. Councillors Poonam and Neha Musavat, who won on AAP ticket, too, defected to the BJP. leader. Sources in the BJP said the disgruntled leaders had apprised the party high command about their resentment. Malhotra, who attended the party’s national convention in Delhi, returned to the city yesterday and got the Mayor resigned from the post. After sometime, the news of three AAP councillors joining the BJP in Delhi was released. The news was first shared with the media by Sood, but not officially by the city BJP . After about half an hour when continued on page 2 Tribune News Service Chandigarh, February 19 A farmhouse in Mullanpur belonging to city BJP vicepresident Devinder Singh Babla, who played a key role in making the three AAP councillors join the ruling party, was sealed by the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) this evening. The GMADA order reads, “Since the violator (Babla), to whom the show-cause notice under the provisions of the Punjab New Capital (Periphery) Control Act, 1952, and the Punjab Regional and Town Planning and Development Act, 1995, was issued, is doing commercial activity in Parol village under the garb of eco-tourism approval and has raised a building without approval of building plan from the competent authority, his farmhouse falling in Parol village is ordered to be sealed at the first instance.” “It is a political vendetta by the AAP government in Punjab against me. The GMADA enforcement staff, accompanied by the Punjab Police, sealed my residential property “Darshan Bagh” located in Parole village, Mullanpur (New Chandigarh), without serving me any prior notice. The farmhouse of city BJP vice-president Devinder Singh Babla and his wife, councillor Harpreet Kaur Babla, being sealed. This is an abuse of the state machinery by the AAP government and a political vendetta against me just because I had refused to compromise my political career by joining AAP alleged Babla. ,” His wife Harpreet Kaur Babla is a BJP councillor. “This is harassment and mental torture on my family as we have kept valuable things/items on the property as well as our domestic help live with their families there. I have all relevant documents. continued on page 2 UT starts process to set up driving training centre WHAT’S ON Chandigarh, February 19 The police have busted a gang of snatchers with the arrest of four persons, including a man who has 36 criminal cases registered against him in the past. The accused have been identified as Gaurav, alias Chinu (30), a resident of Dadu Majra village; Gurpreet Singh (32) of Patiala; Sandeep, alias Kaja (32), a resident of Dadu Majra colony; and Simran (38) of EWS colony, Maloya. Simran used to purchase stolen items from the accused. During interrogation, the accused confessed to their involvement in the cases of vehicle theft and snatching. A total of eight cases, including two of snatching and six of vehicle theft, have been solved. The police have recovered three gold chains, one pendant, four two-wheelers and one mobile phone from the accused. Gaurav faces 36 criminal cases registered against him since 2011. Sandeep already faces a case of the NDPS Act, while Gurpreet, a taxi driver, has four cases, including three of NDPS Act, registered against him in Chandigarh. PARTLY CLOUDY SUNSET TUESDAY 6.14 PM » TUESDAY | 20 FEBRUARY 2024 | CHANDIGARH FORECAST Chandigarh, February 19 Administration has started the process to set up a regional driving training centre at Raipur Kalan here. An official said a four-acre site at Raipur Kalan had been earmarked for the centre which would be set up with the assistance of the Ministry of Highways and Transport. He said the bids had been invited from interested agencies to run the centre. After the finalisation of a firm, the centre would be made operational, he added. The centre will conduct training course for training instructors and light motor vehicle (LMV) & heavy motor vehicle (HMV) drivers. It will also conduct a refresher training course for drivers in service and for those who Bids invited to run the facility at Raipur Kalan COURSE STRUCTURE The theoretical part of the training would include traffic education, basic vehicle mechanism demonstration, public relations, first aid, road etiquette and mannerism, causes of accidents, and case studies etc. Similarly, the practical part would include basic driving practice, skill driving practice on rural and highways and city roads, uphill and downhill driving practice, reversing, parking etc. drive vehicles carrying hazardous and dangerous goods. Periodic training and evaluation of drivers of state transport undertakings will also be undertaken. After undergoing a monthlong training at the centre, people will no longer have to appear for a test to get a driving licence. The official said an applicant for the driving licence would have to undergo a 29- hour course, which would include 8-hour theory and 21hour practical training, which would spread over four weeks. A minimum 85% attendance would be required to complete the course. After clearing all theory papers and motor vehicle inspector’s test, a proficiency test certificate would be issued to the applicant which could be treated equivalent to the test being carried out at the Children’s Traffic Park in Sector 23. However, all these modalities were being worked out and a final decision would be taken after thorough deliberations, he said. All those who would not undergo training at the centre would have to appear for the test as usual in Sector 23. The theoretical part of the training would include traffic education, basic vehicle mechanism demonstration, public relations, first aid, road etiquette and mannerism, causes of accidents, and case studies etc. Similarly, the practical part of the training would include basic driving practice, skill driving practice on rural and highways and city roads, uphill and downhill driving practice, reversing, parking etc. — TNS Five cyber fraudsters arrested in two cases Chandigarh, February 19 Five fraudsters, including a member of a foreign-based gang of swindlers, have been arrested by the Cybercrime Investigation Cell (CCIC) of the UT police in two cases of cyber fraud. An octogenarian couple of Sector 46 was duped of Rs 75 lakh by a fraudster who claimed that the couple’s relative in Canada had landed a legal trouble. Jagdish Kaur and her husband Bhag Singh had reported that they had received a call from foreign-based number. The caller claimed their relative had been jailed. The couple told the fraudster about their nephew Pamma, assuming that he might be in trouble. The fraudster then made the elderly couple transfer a total of Rs 75 lakh c m y b ONE GANG BASED IN SAUDI ARABIA Further investigation revealed that the gang was being operated from Saudi Arabia. “Adarsh was the India-based operator of the gang, who managed mule accounts and arranged SIM cards procured on fake identities,” said a police official. << Five suspects of two gangs involved in cybercrime in custody of police. NITIN MITTAL in separate accounts to get their nephew released from jail. The couple later realised that they had been tricked. During investigation, the police conducted a raid in Bihar and arrested 23-yearold Adarsh Singh, said SP (Cybercrime) Ketan Bansal. Further investigation revealed that the gang was being operated from Saudi Arabia. “Adarsh was the India-based operator of the gang, who managed mule accounts and arranged SIM cards procured on fake identities,” said a police official. The money of gullible victims was transferred to the Middle East countries through a crypto-currency platform. In the other case, four fraudsters have been arrested for duping a city resident of Rs 2.09 lakh. Devadatha had reported that a caller, posing as a bank executive, made him download a file on his phone to update his bank’s mobile app. Soon, the complainant found that three transactions were made from his credit card. Police investigations revealed that the accused had purchased gold coins from an online shopping app. The coins were delivered at a location in Gurugram. “The accused used to avail of the facility of same day delivery of purchased goods so that they don’t get caught,” the police added. The police said raids were conducted in parts of Delhi and Gurugram and finally, Akshay Kumar (23) and Bipin Kumar (23) were arrested while taking the delivery of a gold coin. “Their job was to receive the delivery of goods on the directions of Vikas Kumar (27) and Rajesh Mandal (30),” the police added. Subsequently, Vikas and Rajesh were also arrested. All the accused are natives of Jharkhand. — TNS
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