03042024-LT-01.qxd 03-04-2024 00:30 Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune IN TOWN AS BJP MAN, RAVNEET BITTU GETS BIG WELCOME VETERINARY COLLEGE TURNS TO HOMOEOPATHY TO TREAT ANIMALS PRIYANKA CHOPRA JONAS LENDS VOICE FOR TIGER Ravneet Singh Bittu was given a rousing welcome at the railway station when his train reached here today. P2 Sriganganagar vet college has initiated treatment of animals using homoeopathy, marking a first in Rajasthan. P3 Priyanka announced release date of her new project, titled Tiger. She said it was fun lending her voice to incredible story. P4 » » » FORECAST GENERALLY CLOUDY MAX 31°C | MIN 15°C YESTERDAY MAX 31°C | MIN 14°C SUNSET WEDNESDAY 6.47 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 6:11 AM WEDNESDAY | 3 APRIL 2024 | LUDHIANA Man sentenced to 20-year-jail for exploiting daughter Ludhiana, April 2 The Court of Additional Sessions Judge Amarjeet Singh has convicted an accused identified as Mukesh Kumar Mahto, a resident of Avtar Nagar, under the POCSO Act on the charge of exploiting his 11-year-old daughter. He was sentenced to undergo 20 years rigorous imprisonment (RI). He was also ordered to pay a fine of Rs 3 lakh. Delivering the verdict, the court held that the prosecution had successfully proved the guilt of the accused beyond any doubt. The court also declined the plea of leniency raised by the accused. Additional Public Prosecutor BD Gupta said a case against accused was registered on December 2, 2022, at the Sarabha Nagar police station following a complaint of a social activist. The complainant had stated to the police that she was apprised by woman that the accused was indulging in the heinous crime of exploiting his own daughter. Then she met the girl secretly, who confirmed her exploitation by her father. The matter was reported to the police and the accused was arrested. However, during the trial accused pleaded innocence. After appreciating the evidence on record, the court found him guilty. — OC At ~138 crore, civic body records highest ever property tax collection Over 25K of total 4.24L assesses did not pay ~6.12 cr | Arrears swell to over ~14.71 cr Nitin Jain TAX RECEIPTS Tribune News Service Ludhiana, April 2 In a record of sorts, the municipal corporation (MC) here has collected a sum of Rs 138 crore as property tax in the previous fiscal 2023-24, which is the highest collection so far, officials have said. However, over 25,000 property owners have not yet paid their dues of more than Rs 6.12 crore for the last financial year, officials said. With this, the total number of property tax defaulters in Ludhiana has grown to over 92,000 and the arrears have swelled to more than Rs 14.71 crore. As the previous fiscal ended on March 31, the civic body has launched a special drive to recover arrears from defaulters, who have not cleared their dues despite issuance of repeated notices. Besides levying penalty and interest, the MC is also mooting a plan to attach properties of major defaulters. Sharing details, MC Commissioner Sandeep Rishi, told The Tribune, here on Tuesday that the property tax collec- FACE MUSIC FOR TAX EVASION who have not yet deposited ❝Owners,should do so immediately asproperty tax or other levies, they have failed to avail the penalty and interest waiver offered till March 31. The habitual defaulters would be dealt with sternly. Besides imposing penalty and interest, proceedings to attach properties as per the provisions of the law would also be initiated. ❞ — Sandeep Rishi, MC COMMISSIONER tions had touched a record high last fiscal and crossed the Rs 137.5-crore mark for the first time in Ludhiana. “An amount of Rs 15.05 crore, accounting for 12.3 per cent more than Rs 122.45 crore tax receipts of 2022-23, and Rs 7.5 crore, which is 5.8 Neglected Dana Mandi on Gill Road cries for attention No check on cleanliness, roaming stray cattle & vehicle parking Harshraj Singh Tribune News Service Ludhiana, April 2 Although officials have announced the commencement of wheat procurement from April 1, the Dana Mandi situated on Gill Road is still crying for attention due to various unresolved issues. On Tuesday, a large number of stray cattle were seen wandering inside a shed constructed for storing the crop. Moreover, heavy vehicles are still parked without authorisation from the authorities concerned under the shed and on the mandi ground. Issues, including lack of cleanliness, damaged floor, and inadequate facilities only add to visitors’ woes at the mandi. The existing infrastructure, comprising only one main shed and a small one, is considered inadequate by farmers, especially when it rains. Besides, the absence of proper public toilets at the mandi inconveniences farmers and labourers. A few persons said portable toilets, situated near the railway track at a short distance Roaming stray cattle and a heavy truck parked under a shed at Dana Mandi on Gill Road in Ludhiana. PHOTO: INDERJEET VERMA from the mandi, were in deplorable condition and unfit for use. “Furthermore, rainwater gets accumulated on a stretch leading to one side of the mandi,” they said. Kuldeep Singh, a visitor at the mandi, said, “The authorities should provide essential facilities for both farmers and labourers at the mandi.” He stressed on adequate protection for grains from rain, indicating requirement of additional sheds at the mandi. Furthermore, he underscored the crucial need for potable drinking water and proper public toilets on the mandi premises. Addressing cleanliness concerns, he urged the authorities concerned to take immediate action in this connection. Besides, he advocated for the relocation of stray cattle to safe shelters by the municipal corporation and strict prohibition on parking of heavy vehicles within the mandi area and under sheds. Manohar Singh Gill, president, Arhtias Association, said soon farmers would start arriving at the mandi with their produce. He said the district administration authorities had recently visited Continued on page 2 per cent up and above the estimated target of Rs 130 crore for the 2023-24 annual Budget have been collected,” he said. Rishi said the civic body had recorded the highestever receipts during the previous financial year since the imposition of the property tax Drunk man beats wife to death Tribune News Service Ludhiana, April 2 A drunk man killed his wife at their residence in Prem Colony on the Rahon road on Monday night. The suspect hit his wife’s head against the wall repeatedly and also attacked her with a glass bottle which led to her death. The deceased woman was identified as Manyashree. She had got married to Maan Singh in 2006. After marriage, she gave birth to four children. Their two daughters were living with her inlaws in Uttar Pradesh while two boys were living with the couple in Ludhiana. Complainant Shivraj, brother of the deceased, said his sister’s husband was a habitual drunkard. He used to beat his sister everyday under the influence of liquor. Yesterday night, when his sister stopped her husband from drinking alcohol, his brother-in-law turned furious. He brutally thrashed the woman in a locked room which led to her death. Complainant said yesterday night when he went to meet his sister, their room Continued on page 2 2 woman among four booked for ~58L fraud Tribune News Service Ludhiana, April 2 The Sadar police yesterday registered a case against a woman among four for committing a fraud of Rs 58 lakh with a citybased resident. The suspect had sold a house to the victim which was already sold by the Housing Board to another buyer. Those booked have been identified as Manjit Kaur and Malika, both residents of Chandigarh, Amrik Singh, a resident of Salem Tabri, and Gurpal Singh, a resident of the Hoshiarpur road, Jalandhar. Complainant Varun Jain, a resident of Ranjit Singh Nagar, told the police that he wanted to buy property in Chandigarh. His friend Rishi Rai, a resident of Ludhiana, arranged his meeting with property dealers Amrik and Gurpal. After meeting both property dealers, they further arranged his meeting with Manjit Kaur. During the meeting, Manjit Kaur had said that she deals in salepurchase of all kinds of properties in Chandigarh. On February 26, 2024, Manjit along with other suspects showed him a house at Sector 38 in Chandigarh. She demanded Rs 82 lakh for the property. Since the victim liked the property, he handed over Rs 2 lakh in advance to Manjit. Later, on recommendation of other suspects, Jain gave a total amount of Rs 58 lakh to Manjit. Malika was also part of the property fraud, the victim alleged. The complainant alleged that despite taking money, the suspects failed to give possession of the house. Jain repeatedly contacted the suspects, but they kept on making hollow promises. Later, when he enquired about the house in Chandigarh, he was shocked to know that the property had already been sold by the Housing Board to some other buyer. The suspects committed a fraud with Jain by preparing fake documents of the flat. Now, they had also refused to return his money. Investigating officer ASI Baljit Singh said a case on the charges of fraud, criminal conspiracy and forgery was registered against the suspects and further investigation was in progress. c m y b YEAR 2023-24 2022-23 2021-22 2020-21 2019-20 2018-19 2017-18 2016-17 2015-16 2014-15 2013-14 DETAIL OF DEFAULTERS COLLECTION ~137.5 ~122.45 ~92.84 ~96.68 ~84.25 ~78.24 ~70.4 ~66.05 ~69.44 ~52.94 ~74.79 TOTAL COLLECTIONS 945.58 YEAR 2023-24 2022-23 2021-22 2020-21 2019-20 2018-19 2017-18 2016-17 2015-16 2014-15 TOTAL ARREARS 61202657 14674797 12355119 7163842 5038168 6241025 4228159 5954277 5661645 24616824 147136513 ASSESSES 25075 6667 6805 6612 4315 4444 3688 5452 5316 24045 92419 TOTAL DEFAULTERS TOTAL ARREARS 92419 1471136513 (Source: MC, amount in rupee crore, figures till March 31) 4.24 LAKH PROPERTIES There are 4,23,906 properties in the municipal limits, which are assessed to pay the property tax. The MC had been sending reminders to owners of the left-out 25,075-odd properties through public notices and personal messages on their registered cellphone numbers to pay the pending tax before March 31, but they were yet to clear their dues. in 2013, with over 3.98 lakh owners paying their dues. He said over 25,000 assesses still owed the MC over Rs 6.12 crore for 2023-24 fiscal. Divulging the year-wise property tax receipts, Rishi said Rs 137.5 crore property tax was collected in 2023-24, Rs 122.45 in 2022-23, Rs 92.84 crore in 202122, Rs 96.68 crore in 2020-21, Rs 84.25 crore in 2019-20, Rs 78.24 crore in 2018-19, Rs 70.4 crore in 2017-18, Rs 66.05 crore in 2016-17, Rs 69.44 crore in 2015-16, Rs 52.94 crore in 2014-15 and Rs 74.79 crore during the 2013-14 fiscal. Travelagentbookedfor defrauding man of ~6L Tribune News Service Ludhiana, April 2 The police on Monday registered a case against a travel agent for committing a fraud of Rs 6 lakh with a resident of Machhiwara. The booked suspect has been identified as Gurjit Singh, a resident of Sherpur Basti, Ludhiana. Complainant Ratan Kumar told the police that around seven months ago, he met travel agent Gurjit as he wanted to go the USA. The suspect had then told him that he would be first sent to Dubai. From Dubai, a USA visa would be arranged for him within a few days. The suspect had demanded Rs 8 lakh for the purpose. The victim gave Rs 3 lakh in cash and a cheque of Rs 5 lakh to the agent. The complainant said he reached Dubai and stayed there for more than three months, but the suspect failed to arrange a US visa for him. Seeing no hope, the victim returned to India from Dubai. After reaching India, when he asked the agent to return his money, the latter started making hollow promises. After several meetings, the suspect promised to return Rs 7.50 lakh in total and out of which he only returned Rs 1.50 to the complainant. The remaining amount of Rs 6 lakh was not paid by the suspect to the complainant till date. Complainant said he lodged a police complaint in February this year. He said after over a month-long investigation, the police registered a case against the travel agent. Further investigation into the case was under progress. 4 colonisers booked for developing illegal colonies Ludhiana, April 2 Continuing with its action against developers of illegal colonies, the police registered four cases in this connection on Monday. In the first case, the Sadar police booked an unknown coloniser for dividing a land for residential and commercial purposes. A developer has to seek permission from GLADA for the change of Continued on page 2
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