27052026-CT-01.qxd 5/27/2026 12:59 AM Page 1 c m y b Chandigarh tribune HC APPOINTS COMMISSIONER TO INSPECT DADUMAJRA DUMP LT GEN SAHI CHIEF OF STAFF, WESTERN COMMAND HEMA FEELS DHARMENDRA’S PRESENCE AT PADMA HONOUR He will check whether the MC claims regarding clearance of waste at the dump are factually correct. P2 He succeeds Lieut Gen Puneet Ahuja, who has proceeded as Director Gen, Strategic Planning, Headquarters.P3 In an emotional note, Hema opened up about receiving award on behalf of cinema icon Dharmendra. P4 » » AIR QUALITY INDEX CHANDIGARH 103 PANCHKULA 154 401-500 301-400 201-300 101-200 51-100 0-50 SEVERE VERY POOR POOR MODERATE SATISFACTORY GOOD WHAT’S ON APNI MANDI Chandigarh: Sectors 15, 40, 46 Please send information about events in tricity at: whatson@tribunemail.com EID HOLIDAY TOMORROW Chandigarh: On account of Eid-ul-Zuha (Bakrid), the UT Administration has declared a public holiday on May 28, instead of a public holiday already declared on May 27. All government offices, boards, corporations, institutions, including industrial establishment, under the Chandigarh Administration, will now observe public holiday on May 28 under Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881. TNS INBRIEF UT PEAK POWER DEMAND 386 MW Chandigarh: The peak power demand in the city on Tuesday dropped to 386 MW. It had reached 415 MW on Thursday, the highest recorded so far in the month of May. According to Chandigarh Power Distribution Limited, the peak power demand increased from 307 MW on May 16 to 415 MW on May 21, reflecting a sharp increase in electricity consumption across the city. Apart from minor power cuts, no major power disruption was reported from any part of the city, stated officials. TNS Yograj denied anticipatory bail Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 26 A local court today dismissed an anticipatory bail application filed by former cricketer and veteran actor Yograj Singh in a case registered against him for allegedly making derogatory remarks against women in a viral clip from a web series. Yograj, father of former cricketer Yuvraj Singh, had filed his application in the district court on May 16. The Sector 36 police registered the case under Section 79 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and 62A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, on a complaint filed by advocates Ujjwal Bhasin and Jatin Verma on May 14. The complainants alleged that the remarks in the clip allegedly made by Yograj were not only indecent but also perpetuated misogyny, undermining societal respect for women. Yograj’s counsel argued that the actor was merely playing a fictional character on screen and was strictly bound by the contract. The state, in its reply filed before the court, said the voice samples of the accused and original records related to the alleged video were required for the investigation. MAINLY CLEAR SKY MAX 43°C | MIN 24°C YESTERDAY MAX 41.6°C | MIN 22.7°C SUNSET WEDNESDAY 7.16 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 5:23 AM » WEDNESDAY | 27 MAY 2026 | CHANDIGARH FORECAST /THETRIBUNECHD FACEBOOK/CHANDIGARHTRIBUNE Mohali logs 55.54% voting, 5% dip from 2021 2,63,031 exercise their franchise in 166 MC wards, sealing fate of 695 candidates; counting on May 29 Gaurav Kanthwal Tribune News Service Mohali, May 26 Polling for seven urban local bodies in Mohali district passed off peacefully with a 55.54 per cent turnout on Tuesday. As many as 2,63,031 votes, of the total 4,80,782, were cast at 498 booths in 166 wards of the district, sealing the fate of 695 candidates in the fray. The counting of votes will be held on May 29. As compared to 60.08% polling in the 2021 MC elections, there was a sizable dip in the voting percentage this time. There was no change in voting pattern with Banur recording the highest and Zirakpur logging the lowest turnout. Banur (72.86%), Lalru (69.34%), Kurali (64.27%), Nayagaon (58.23%) witnessed a huge turnout, while urban voters did not show much enthusiasm despite suffering from perennial civic woes. The turnout was on expected lines as rural area voters defied intense heat to cast their vote. The elderly and women turned up at polling booths early in the morning. Urban areas also saw a trickle of voters in the morning and evening hours, but after that, it was for the party supporters to keep the pot boiling with arguments and counter-arguments. The police were on their toes pacifying the supporters. Scuffles were reported at some places, but in the end, the polling passed off peacefully. The voting for the Mohali Municipal Corporation saw a clear divide with residents of Ward No. 1 to 26 (predominantly urban electorate) choosing to stay indoors, while those of Ward No. 26 to 50 turning out in large numbers. Banur, Lalru and Kurali topped voting percentage in the district. As usual, Zirakpur residents did not show much enthusiasm in polling even though they kept complaining of poor civic amenities throughout the year. In Dera Bassi, Ward No. 14 and 15 remained the centre of attraction. In Ward No. 15, former president of the Municipal Council Ashu Upneja and her husband Naresh Upneja, from Ward No.14, are in the VOTER TURNOUT 77.91% 72.86% 75.76%69.34% 69.24% 65.69% 64.27% 65.90% 58.25% 57.09% 56% 54.84% 55% 55.54% 48.27% OVERALL DIST 60.08% ‘VOTER SECRECY VIOLATED’ Former Deputy Mayor of Mohali MC Kuljit Singh Bedi raised questions over the voting process in Ward No. 10, alleging that the secrecy of voters was being violated during the elections. He claimed that the same serial numbers were being written on ballot papers and registers, making it possible to find for whom people voted for. “The ballot paper issued to voters, the counterfoil and the register all carry the same serial number, which compromises the confidentiality of the vote. If the counterfoil is opened, the identity of the voter and details of their vote can easily be traced,” he claimed Women wait for their turn to cast vote for the Zirakpur Municipal Council elections at Singhpura village on Tuesday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: RAVI KUMAR OPPN ALLEGES BOOTH CAPTURING IN MOHALI, POLICE REJECT CHARGE REPORT PAGE 2 fray. Opposite them are BJP leader Mukesh Gandhi and his wife Jyoti Gandhi. The designated strongrooms and counting centres in the district include the Office of Market Committee, Banur; Community Hall at the Office of Municipal Council, Kurali; Century Public School, Karoran (Nayagaon), Community Centre, Chhatt; Government College, Dera Bassi; Government Senior Secondary School, Lalru; Community Centre in Phase 7, SAS Nagar; and Community Centre in Sector 69. A family comes out of a polling booth at Phase-3B1, Mohali; first-time voters at Sanouli village in Zirakpur; and a voter shows her identity card in Mohali. VICKY/ RAVI KUMAR Councillors to boycott House meeting CBI finds secret bank account City over MC Commissioner’s dissent note linked to Smartmastermindfirm ex-CFO Fraud Tribune News Service Ramkrishan Upadhyay Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 26 Two days after the Municipal Corporation terminated the extension given to M/s Lion Services Ltd, which was providing sanitation services in southern sectors here, many councillors decided to boycott the next MC House meeting. They have alleged that officers, including the Municipal Commissioner, are ignoring resolutions passed by the MC House. The company has quoted the lowest rates for a fresh tender floated by the MC for sanitation work in the southern sectors. The decision to boycott the House meeting was taken at a meeting held in the Mayor’s office today. It was attended by 16 councillors of the Congress and the BJP . Jasbir Singh Bunty of the Congress said the MC House had passed a resolu- Controversy erupts over ~50-crore tender for sanitation services in southern sectors tion for allotting the tender to a company quoting the lowest rates for providing sanitation services in Sectors 31-50, 61 and 63. However, the Commissioner decided to terminate the extension given to the company and also wrote a dissent note against the resolution passed in the House. Kanwarjeet Singh Rana of the BJP said the Commissioner had ignored the voices of councillors, who are elected representatives. In protest against the termination of extension given to the M/s Lion Services Ltd, they have decided not to attend the next meetings of the Finance and Contract Committee and MC House. The councillors would not attend any meeting till the Municipal Commissioner remains on his post, he said. Bunty said the MC had been giving the extension to the company on a regular basis due to the non-finalisation of a fresh tender. Its contract had expired last year. The MC can award the contract to any company but they are protesting the MC action of not respecting the resolution passed unanimously in House. Meanwhile, Hardeep Singh, AAP councillor, said no councillor from his party attended the meeting and they were fully in support of the decision taken by the Commissioner. The company had been providing sanitation services in the southern sectors since it was awarded the contract in c m y b 2017. The MC pays the company approximately Rs 50 crore annually. In the last House meeting, many councillors had favoured giving the contract to the same company, which quoted the lowest rates. However, the MC officers were not in favour of allotting the tender to the company as it had failed to give a satisfactory reply to a questionnaire sent to it. The officers claimed that the bid quoted by the company was still on the higher side. Meanwhile, Mayor Saurabh Joshi said the councillors met in the morning and took up the matter with him. He had apprised the authorities concerned of the councillors’ concerns. He was in discussion with all of them to resolve the issue. When contacted, MC Commissioner Amit Kumar said he would continue to work in the interest of the civic body. Chandigarh, May 26 The CBI has unearthed a secret bank account of Chandigarh Smart City Limited (CSCL) — never reflected in any official record handed over to the MC. Nalini Malik, arrested former Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the CSCL, is the authorised signatory. Her personal mobile number and personal email ID is registered with the account for transaction alerts. Sources privy to the ongoing investigation said the CBI had also found that Ribhav Rishi — the prime accused and former IDFC First Bank branch manager at the centre of the two biggest bank frauds in Chandigarh’s history — had arranged and paid for the interior designing work done at Nalini’s flat at Taj Tower, Sector 104, Mohali. The designer, engaged by Rishi, IDFC bank ex-manager got interior done at Nalini’s flat for free remained in touch with Nalini over WhatsApp chats and mobile calls regarding execution of the work. However, the payment was never made to the designer by her directly, the sources said. Chandigarh Special CBI Judge Bhawna Jain on Monday remanded Nalini in CBI custody till May 28 for custodial interrogation. The hidden bank account — opened in the name of the CSCL with IDFC First Bank — is central to the CBI’s fresh evidence against the former CSCL officer. When the CSCL was wound up in March 2025, its entire record was transferred to the Chandigarh MC. The scrutiny of bank statements by the CBI has revealed that this particular account was never reflected in the record transferred from the CSCL to the MC — a deliberate omission, the investigators believe. The CBI has found substantial incriminating material against Nalini revealing her active involvement in opening and operation of undisclosed bank accounts of the CSCL, facilitation of unauthorised transfer and diversion of huge public funds to shell entities of the criminal nexus, and receipt of pecuniary benefits and cash consideration from them, the sources said. Rishi is in judicial custody as the prime accused in both the Rs 117-crore CSCL-MC scam and the Rs 83-crore CREST fraud. The two frauds were executed at the same IDFC First Bank branch in Sector 32 by the same core group of accused using the same modus operandi. continued on page 2