Candidates take out victory march

Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Apr 28: Sitting president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Jammu, YV Sharma has been re-elected as president while another leading city businessman Arun Gupta, younger brother of  former CCI president Romesh Chander Gupta and BJP leader Prof Chaman Lal Gupta as secretary general of this premier body of  traders and industrialists.
Sham Lal Langar was declared elected as senior vice president, Anil Gupta ( Bittu) as junior vice president, Deepak Aggarwal as secretary whereas, Bharat Bhushan Gupta (Babbi) as treasurer of  the Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Mr Sharma defeated his rival Rakesh Gupta by 82 votes while Arun Gupta ousted sitting CCI executive body member Manish Gupta with the margin of 231 votes. Y V Sharma secured 974 votes while his rival candidate Rakesh Gupta bagged 892 votes. Twenty-one votes were declared as invalid. Senior vice president Mr Langar got 1038 votes while his rival Ram Saroop Gupta, a sitting Executive body member bagged 812 votes. A total of 51 votes were declared invalid. Junior vice president Anil Gupta bagged 928 while his rival Sanjay Mahajan got 902 votes. Sixty six votes were declared invalid.
Arun Gupta secured 1043 votes and his rival candidate Manish Gupta 812 votes while 21 votes were found invalid. Deepak Aggarwal contesting for the post of secretary got 1042 votes and his rival Rahul Mahajan bagged 835 votes. Twenty votes were declared invalid. The winner for the post of treasurer, Bharat Bhushan Gupta alias Babbi managed 865 votes, Rajesh Gupta alias Bittu 623 votes while  Rakesh Jandial polled  just 318 votes. Ninety five votes were found invalid. Out of total 1964 votes,  1897 (96.58 %) were polled.
A total 13 members were in the fray for the posts of executive body of the CCI for which the elections were held at Chamber Bhawan, Rail Head complex here today. Two candidates each were contesting for the posts of president, senior vice president, junior vice president, secretary general and secretary while for the post of  treasurer, three candidates were in the fray.
The annual general meeting (AGM) of  the Chamber, having membership of  1964, commenced at around 10 am. The secretary general presented the annual report and highlighted the achievements of the sitting executive body. The polling started at around 11 am and  was completed at 4 pm. The counting process started at around 6.30 pm and the results were declared at around 11.15 pm.
Recounting of the votes for the post of president was conducted after the defeating candidate Rakesh Gupta and his supporters protested. Election Commissioner Anil Kapahi and members Shiv Partap Gupta, Narinder Singh Chehal and Rajan Gupta agreed for recounting. After recounting, the votes of Rakesh were found same (892) while Y V Sharma’s votes were reduced from 976 to 974.
Entire Rail Head complex was seen buzzing with lively activity of polling today. Huge crowd of the city traders with great enthusiasm was witnessed throughout the day at the Chamber House and adjoining area.
A large number of banners of the contesting candidates were seen projected on the walls and poles right from Rail Head complex entry points up to the Chamber Bhawan. Several polling booths were set up to facilitate the members. The district administration had made adequate security arrangements and entire process passed off peacefully.
The occasion was appearing not less than the polling of Corporators in view of enthusiasm and arrangements. All the parkings at the Rail Head complex were fully packed and many vehicles were found even parked on the road sides. The food stalls had been arranged for the Chamber members and others deployed on the polling job.
Several contesting members and even their supporters were seen warmly and humbly greeting every member arriving to exercise his franchise at the entry point of the Chamber Bhawan, which had been decorated like a grand marriage hall.
As the Election Commissioner Anil Kapahi announced the final results, a jubilation gripped the entire Chamber complex. The supporters came out profusely garlanding their winning candidates.  They started shouting slogans in support of  Y V Sharma, Arun Gupta, Mr Langar and others. The greetings and sweets distribution started all around. Many supporters of  the winning candidates started dancing at the rythem of drum beats. They had already arranged the drum beaters. The fire crackers started bursting, marking grand celebrations. Later, a victory rally was taken out towards old city by hundreds of supporters of the winning candidates.

Joint LoC Federation floated

Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Apr 28: In a major initiative to boost cross-LoC trade ahead of Home Secretary level talks between India and Pakistan on May 24 and 25, the traders of both routes—Poonch-Rawlakote and Uri-Muzaffarabad today formed 44 members Joint LoC Trade Federation comprising 22 members from each side to prepare their charter of demands and submit them to their respective Home Secretaries prior to the meeting.
The Joint LoC Trade Federation was formed in a meeting of the traders from both parts of divided State held at Chakan-Da-Bagh, the line dividing Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) during the day today.
The Federation of Poonch-Rawlakote traders and Uri-Muzaffarabad traders will have 22 members each, 11 each from four sides i.e. Poonch (including other parts of Jammu), Rawlakote, Uri (including other parts of Kashmir) and Muzaffarabad.
Today’s meeting at cross-LoC trade point of Chakan-Da-Bagh was attended by 121 traders including 51 from this part of divided State and 71 from other side of LoC. Pawan Anand, president, Karan Singh, general secretary and Rajiv Tandon, convenor led the team from this side while Choudhary Mohammad Latief, president and Akhter Hussain, general secretary, represented trader fraternity of Rawlakote.
Abdul Hamid Sheikh, Trade Facilitation Officer (TFO), Poonch and MA Qureshi, DySP Poonch joined traders of this side while Akhter Hussain, TFO Hajeera (Rawlakote) and Custodian Hajeera represented PoK.
Sources said the traders from both sides decided that it was largely becoming impossible for them to run the trade on just red chilly or few other items. They decided to take up the issue with trade facilitation authorities that the Governments of India and Pakistan should prepare a negative list of trade and allow traders to import-export all other items instead of confining the cross-LoC business to just 21 items.
“Even from within 21 items approved for trade on two cross-LoC routes, authorities from both sides continued to impose restrictions on various items on one pretext or the other’’, the traders lamented.
It may be mentioned here that Home Secretaries of India and Pakistan were meeting in Islamabad on May 24 and 25 to take a host of issues including measures to boost cross-LoC trade in Jammu and Kashmir. Home Secretary R K Singh was earlier scheduled to visit Chakan-Da-Bagh and Uri few days back but the visit was postponed. Sources said the visit could take place in second week of May as Mr Singh wanted to acquaint himself with problems of the traders to take them up with his counterpart in Islamabad meeting.
Sources said the traders of two parts of divided State also resolved their issues pertaining to account disputes as trade was conducted on barter system.
The traders from both sides have been insisting on switching over to use of currency instead of barter system and communication link (ISD link) from Jammu and Kashmir to PoK so that the businessmen could talk to each other and discuss the items to be imported and exported. They were also demanding trade visa to facilitate visit of the traders to see the items for import-export, sources said.

NEW DELHI, Apr 28:
A former judge was sentenced to three years in jail today for taking Rs 2000 as bribe 26 years ago, with the court saying that a judge’s ethical firmness is the need of the hour for society as people’s confidence in judiciary is getting shattered by the day.
74-year-old former judge Gulab Tulsiyani was handed down the jail term by Special CBI Judge V K Maheshwari who held him guilty of demanding and accepting illegal gratification for disposal of a factory challan case in 1986 during his tenure as a Metropolitan Magistrate at a Patiala House court here.
The court, which also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on the former Metropolitan Magistrate, however, suspended his sentence till May 28 after the convict expressed his wish to go in appeal against his conviction and sentencing.
While releasing him on an interim bail on a personal bond of Rs 50,000 with one surety of same amount, the court asked Tulsiyani to appear before it on May 29.
“Judicial office is an office of public trust, therefore high integrity, honesty, ethical firmness is the requirement of society from the judge. A judge’s conduct is expected to be judged by standards higher than that expected from any other public servant.
“The confidence in judiciary is getting shattered day by day. Today judiciary is suffering from self-inflicted wounds. Judiciary must take utmost care to see that the temple of justice does not crack from inside, which will lead to a catastrophe in the justice delivery system resulting in the failure of public confidence in the system.”
The special judge also said in order to keep the “stream of justice clean and pure”, a judge must be endowed with “sterling character, unimpeachable integrity and upright behaviour”.
Special Judge Maheshwari considered Tulsiyani’s prayer for leniency, as he fervently pleaded with the court that he has undergone four or five brain surgeries after its hemorrhage while his son had died recently in an accident and there was no one else to take care of his wife, who is a heart patient.
The CBI, however, had sought stringent punishment for him saying his was a serious corruption case.
As per the prosecution, Tulsiyani while working as a MM had demanded the bribe for disposal of a factory challan case and had obtained Rs 2,000 from the complainant Ajesh Mittal.
The Metropolitan Magistrate had asked the complainant to pay the bribe at his house on June 7, 1986, the CBI had said.
It had added that as Mittal was not willing to pay the bribe, he lodged a complaint with the CBI, which sent him to Tulsiyani’s residence with the bribe money and also with a tape recorder.
After giving the amount to the judge, Mittal came out on some pretext and called CBI sleuths inside, the CBI had said adding that on seeing the sleuths, the judge panicked and ran towards his toilet to flush out the bribe money, but failed to do so and was caught with the tainted money.
While convicting the former judge, the court had said the act of Tulsiyani entertaining Mittal at his house raised a question against the “decorum of a judicial officer”.
“In the case in hand, entertaining the complainant, who was accused in a challan case pending in the court of accused, at his house, as such his act of entertaining with complainant raises a big question against the decorum of judicial officer; rather all these circumstances taken together supports the prosecution version,” the court had said. (PTI)

Special designs cleared for tunnels, bridges

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 28: General Manager, Railway Electrification, Jagdev Kalia, today said that Jammu-Udhampur-Katra Railway line will be electrified within next two years and single line between Chakki Bank to Jammu by end of current year.
Interacting with the media-persons at Railway Station here this morning after taking stock of the electrification projects, Mr Kalia said, “work on electrification of Chakki Bank to Jammu and Udhampur to Jammu railway lines is going on at the required pace so that Diesel Multiple Units (DMUs) are replaced by the Electric Multiple Units (EMUs) as early as possible”.
“Given the present pace of work, we are hopeful of completing the electrification work on Chakki Bank to Jammu by the end of current year while as the same on Udhampur-Jammu section is targeted to be completed by end of next year”, he said, adding electrification of second line would be carried out only after completion of all sorts of works by the construction division.
Disclosing that electrification work on Udhampur-Katra section would begin only after the opening of the railway line for normal train traffic, he hoped that within next two years Electric Multiple Units (EMUs) will start chugging up to holy town of Katra.
It is pertinent to mention here that on Udhampur-Katra railway line, problem of seepage is being faced on Tunnel Number 1 and direction of the tunnel is being changed to avoid the problematic area.
About Jammu-Udhampur section, Mr Kalia said, “at present work on 10 kilometer stretch from Udhampur to Ramnagar is going on and hopefully within next one or two months all sorts of work on this patch would be completed”.
Admitting that electrification of Jammu-Udhampur-Katra railway line is a challenging task, the General Manager said, “there are 20 tunnels and 14 bridges on Jammu-Udhampur section and special arrangements are required to be made at all these places in order to ensure safety of the electrification network”.
In response to a question, he said, “we have prepared special designs for electrification works in tunnels and on the bridges so that during inclement weather conditions the poles or the electricity supply lines don’t get damaged”.
Disclosing that sites have also been identified for setting up of electric sub-stations from where the power supply will be provided to the railway lines, Mr Kalia said that sub-station at Samba will provide power supply to Jammu-Pathankote section while as Jammu-Udhampur section would get electricity supply from sub-station at Manwal.
Responding to another question, the General Manager said, “the electrification of Katra-Dharam section has also been given nod but the work on the same would be possible only when the track is ready for chugging of the trains”.
Mr Kalia, who took stock of the railway electrification projects with the concerned officers, will again visit the sites particularly on Jammu-Udhampur Section in order to ensure that any hurdles in the completion of prestigious project are cleared and work is executed within the stipulated time-frame.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 28: The Government today  promoted nine Incharge Executive Engineers (Electric)  as I/C Superintending Engineers, placed seven I/C Assistant Executive Engineers as I/C Executive Engineers (Xens) and issued orders of transfers and postings of  eleven SEs, 21 Xens and  17 AEEs/AEs  in the Power Development Department.
The  Incharge  Executive Engineers promoted as  I/C SEs (Electric)  are Harmohan Singh, Romesh  Kumar Sharma, Ashwani Kumar Gupta, Gurbachan Singh, Shoban Kumar Zutshi, Kuldeep Krishan Raina, Suraj Parkash Gupta, Yudvir Gupta and Sudhir Gupta.
Following these promotions, I/C SE S&O Circle-II Kashmir Malik Mansoor Willayat has been transferred and posted in the JKSPDC on deputation basis. Promotee Harmohan Singh I/C Xen Survey Division Srinagar has been placed as I/C SE S&O Circle-II Kashmir vice Willayat, Romesh Kumar Sharma I/C Xen has been placed as I/C SE in PDC, Ashwani Kumar Gupta I/C Xen ED- Vijaypur as            I/C SE M&RE Circle Kathua, Gurbachan Singh I/C Xen ED-II Jammu as I/C SE M&RE Jammu Circle-I, Shoban Kumar Zutshi I/C Xen TO to Chief Engineer M&RE Jammu as I/C SE M&RE Circle, Kuldip Krishan Raina I/C Xen STD Kalakote as I/C SE M&RE Circle Pulwama, Suraj Parkash Gupta I/C Xen STD-I Jammu as I/C SE Electric Purchase Circle-Sgr, Yudvir Gupta I/C Xen TLCD-I Jammu as I/C SE M&RE Circle Bijbehara while Sudhir Gupta I/C Xen STD-III Kathua after promoted has been placed  as I/C SE System and Operation, Circle-II Jammu.
Seven incharge AEEs who have been placed as I/C Xens in their own pay and grade are- Ghulam Mohd Mir, Muneeb Ahmed, Satpal, Sanjay Sharma, Mirza Aijaz Ahmed, Aijaz Ahmed Khan and Abdul Karim Bhat.
Consequent upon the above, twenty one (21), I/C Xens have been transferred and posted by the Government. Javed Yousuf Dar I/C  Xen ED Budgam has been transferred and posted to TLCD-II Srinagar, Anwar Subhan Dar I/C Xen P&D Circle Srinagar  to Grid Construction Division S&O Kashmir, Abdul Rashid Wani, I/C Xen ED Shopian to Planning and design Circle Sgr, Muzaffar Mukhtar Shah I/C Xen ED Kulgam  to PDC vice Nazir Ahmed, Nazir Ahmed Dar I/C Xen PDC to ED Kulgam, Lalit Kumar Raina I/C Xen STD Udhampur  to EPC Circle-I Jammu vice Kuldip Raj, R C Sharma I/C Xen TLMD-II Pampore Sgr to Planning and Design Circle Jammu vice Sunil Kumar Gupta, Sunil Gupta I/C Xen  to TLMD-II Pampore  vice RC Sharma, Munshi Khan I/C Xen TLMD-II Jammu to ED Rajouri, Maqbool Hussain I/C Xen ED Rajouri  to STD Kalakote, Ashok Sharma I/C Xen ED Kishtwar to TLMD-II Jammu, Ravinder Kumar Zaroo I/C Xen TO to CE P&D Jammu to STD Udhampur, Rashpal Chand I/C Xen to ED Leh, Kuldeep Raj I/C Xen EPC Circle -I Jammu to the office of CE  P&D Jammu as TO, Gh Mohd Mir (promotee) as I/C Xen  ED Budgam, Muneeb Ahmed (Prm) as I/C Xen ED Bijbehara, Sanjay Sharma (Prm) as I/C Xen Survey Division Jammu, Mirza Aijaz Ahmed (Prm) as I/C Xen STD Pulwama, Aijaz Ahmed Khan  (Prm) as I/C Xen ED-IV Srinagar while Abdul  Karim Bhat  (pm) has been placed as I/C Xen STD-I Srinagar.
The Government also transferred and shifted seventeen (17)  I/C AEEs (Electric). Hanumant Singh I/C AEE M&RE Div-II Jammu SD Bishnah has been shifted and posted as TO to Xen SD-I vice P D Singh, Mr Singh after transfer from SD-I has been posted as I/C AEE M&RE Div-II Jammu SD Bishnah, Yoginder Saproo I/C AEE  presently on deputation  to AMVDSB Katra has been placed as I/C AEE TLCD-I, SD-I Jammu, Farooq Ahmed Raina I/C AEE P&D  Wing Sgr  under orders of transfer has been retained as I/C AEE P&D Wing Srinagar, Rakesh Sharma I/C AEE Shrine Board Katra as been posted to TLCD-II , SD-II Jammu, Sham Lal Gupta I/C AEE M&RE Div Udhampur  to PDC, Ghulam Qadir Dar I/C AEE ED-Sumbal Sonawari has been attached with  CE, Generation Kashmir and I/C Xen ED-Baramulla shall hold the charge of the post of ED-Sumbal, Umar Umeed Kamil AE ED-IV SD Hawal has been posted to ED Kulgam, Junaid Ahmed Mir  AE Electric Construction Div Karnah to ED  Sumbal SD Hajan,  Shazia Jan AE ED-Pulwama SD Plant to Commercial Div Srinagar vice Ghulam Nabi Mir, Ashok Kumar Gupta AE BHEP to STD Udhampur vice Gulshan Lal,  Mr Lal has been sent to M&RE Div Vijaypur, Mantoo Gupta AE TLMD-II Jammu to BHEP vice Ashok Kumar, Vivek Gupta AE TLMD-II Jammu to PDC, Ghulam Nabi Mir AE Commercial Div Sgr to ED-IV SD Hawal vice Umar Majeed, Mohd Iqbal Mir I/C AE ED-Kulgam to ECD Karnah vice Junaid Mir  while Tasaduq Nabi Choudhary AE ED Sumbal SD Hajan has been sent to PDC on deputation.
Meanwhile, I/C Xen LDM&T Division Jammu R N Sharma and Simranpal Singh I/C AE STD-II Jammu have been sent on deputation to Chenab Valley Power Project. They will report to the MD CVPP for further posting.

Alleged rape, murder of deaf & dumb girl

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 28: In an alleged murder and rape of deaf and dumb girl, State High Court has directed the Director General of Police to suggest the names of three officers of the rank of Inspector, two each of SSP and DIG so that Special Investigation Team is constituted to handle the investigation properly, which is imperative to ensure that law takes its course in bringing the culprit to book.
The DGP was also directed to file affidavit within two weeks indicating the action proposed against all those who have been adversely reported to by the SSP Crime Branch and were responsible for loss of vital evidence because of their remissness in the discharge of their official duties.
The significant order has been passed in a petition filed by father of the deceased girl whose dead body was recovered from dry well on June 13, 2009. The cause of her death was indicated as poisoning by Aluminium Phosphide and her post-mortem examination revealed that she was carrying foetus of 14-16 weeks at the time of her death.
Though Ramgarh Police initiated inquest proceedings under Section 174 CrPC into the case yet father of the deceased was not satisfied with the police investigation and accordingly he approached the Chief Minister seeking proper investigation so that those responsible for the rape and murder of his deaf and dumb daughter were arrested and proceeded against under law.
Later, on the basis of the findings recorded in proceedings under Section 174 CrPC, FIR was registered at Ramgarh Police Station on January 6, 2010 under Section 302/376 RPC.
In the meantime, father of the deceased approached High Court seeking constitution of a Special Investigation Team for investigation in to the case. During the course of proceedings in the petition, SSP Crime Branch filed status report, which stated that local police had conducted proceedings under Section 174 CrPC in a most casual and unprofessional manner and because of the negligence of the police, important available evidence was stated to have been lost.
After hearing Advocate Shah Mohd Choudhary for the petitioner whereas Additional Advocate General Gagan Basotra for the State, Justice J P Singh observed, “the statement of facts filed by the Crime Branch and the manner in which proceedings under Section 174 CrPC were conducted by the local police, paint a dismal picture on the functioning of the Police Department”.
“Rather than taking requisite steps to see that effective investigation was carried out to find as to who was responsible for rape and death of the petitioner’s daughter, the State Police appears to have lost interest in devising the needed methodology to bring out facts”, the High Court said, adding “facts and circumstances of the case justify constitution of a Special Investigation Team comprising of persons who are expert in the field of investigation”.
“In view of the conclusion reached at by the SSP Crime Branch that the local police and the functionaries of the hospital had been negligent in conducting investigation and preserving the vitals of the deceased for expert opinion, requisite action is warranted against all those who have been remiss and negligent in the performance of their official duty”, the Court said.
With these observations and strictures against the Police, Justice J P Singh directed DGP to constitute SIT headed by officer of the rank of DIG so that law takes its course in bringing the culprit to book.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 28: A woman from Rehari Colony, Jammu is all set to make a history by becoming Mayor of South Delhi Municipal Corporation on May 2.
Savita Gupta daughter of Satish Chander Gupta and sister of Arvind Gupta has been fielded for the post of Mayor by the BJP for South Delhi Municipal Corporation after making a hat-trick in the just concluded elections.
The nomination of Savita Gupta for the post of Mayor of South Delhi Corporation was announced  by Jagdish Mukhi, a senior BJP leader from New Delhi and Incharge Jammu and Kashmir while addressing two days State executive committee meeting of the BJP that began here today.
Mr Mukhi’s announcement was welcomed by the State leaders of the BJP with clapping.
He said the BJP has won all three Municipal Corporations in New Delhi and its candidates would be elected Mayors during the elections.
Savita Gupta, who was married to Ashwani Gupta of Lajpat Nagar in South Delhi, a civil engineer, who had later floated his own construction company, has been elected for third consecutive term as Corporator and would be creating history by becoming Mayor for the third time.
She was elected from Ward No. 160 (Amar Colony, South Delhi) by beating Taruna Kataria of Congress by 4600 votes.
In 104 seats South Delhi Corporation, the BJP was single largest party with 44 seats. It had the support of Independents and others to make it to the victory mark of 53.
The election of Mayor was scheduled for May 2.

NEW DELHI, Apr 28:
Eleven years after having been caught in a sting operation, former BJP president Bangaru Laxman was today awarded four years rigorous imprisonment by a Delhi court for taking Rs one lakh as bribe in a fictitious defence deal case.
Holding that “corruption is worse than prostitution” as it endangers the whole society, Special CBI Judge Kanwal Jeet Arora turned down 72-year-old Laxman’s plea for leniency saying “we have to shun this attitude of ‘sab chalta hai,’ where nothing moves without illegal gratification.”
The court also imposed a fine of Rs one lakh on Laxman who was taken to Tihar Jail, shortly after he was sentenced. His counsel said they would move the High Court to challenge his conviction and sentencing.
This is the first instance of a national party president getting convicted and sentenced to a jail term in a corruption case for accepting bribe in his office chamber in the party headquarters in 2001.
By accepting the bribe, Laxman had kept his personal interest above the national interest “ignoring the security of soldiers” who put their lives in danger while fighting for the nation, the court said.
“The convict (Bangaru) had kept his individual interest over and above the national interest and has even agreed to compromise with the security and safety of the nation. He had agreed to help a company i.e. M/s Westend International, coming to him for getting a supply order of defence related equipments to Indian Army.
“He agreed to compromise with the lives of lakhs of soldiers who without fearing for their lives, fight for the nation,” said the court, which convicted him under section 9 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, said.
“Corruption, to my mind is worse than prostitution as the latter might endanger the morals of an individual, whereas, the former invariably endangers the entire society. It is virulent for the nation and makes people full of ire.
“However, the problem is that, when a society which publicly rues corruption, but privately indulges in it, then we need to ask ourselves, do we really want a corruption-free society,” the judge said.
The judge in its 14-page order on sentence said “balancing the twin interest of society and that of the convict, I am of the opinion that interest of justice would be met, if the convict is sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for a term of four years and to pay a fine of Rs one lakh for the offence under Section 9 of the Prevention of Corruption Act.”
The court said the case before it was one of “political corruption” as Laxman had committed the crime when he was the chief of a political party which was the largest constituent of the then NDA Government.
Emphasising upon the need to make India a corruption-free country, the judge said it can be achieved by providing value education to all, so that “we can become responsible citizens, having strong character which when tested at the time of crisis, is exhibited.”
“We do not want those honest person who are honest till they get a chance or opportunity to be dishonest. Further, it can be achieved by having the proper implementation of the existing laws,” the court said while adding that “sab chalta hai” attitude has to be shunned.
“It is often said that the accomplice of the crime of corruption is generally our own indifference. ‘Sab chalta hai’ (it’s ok, whatsoever!) syndrome has led us to the present situation, where we are, where nothing moves without an illegal consideration. People are forced to pay for getting even the right things done at right time. It is right time to shun this attitude,” it said.
Taking a strict view of Bangaru’s offence, the judge said though the firm, its product and the entire deal was fake and fictitious but the intentions of Bangaru, who took the bribe for recommending the device to the ministry, was real.
“No doubt, the company i.e. M/s Westend International and the product i.e. Hand Held Thermal Imagers (HHTIs), which they were promoting were both fictitious, but this fact was only known to representatives of the company, who had approached the convict for favour.
“Laxman had agreed to exert his personal influence in favour of the fictitious company for his personal gains by way of getting illegal gratification with the intention and belief that the product for which a supply order was required, was genuine,” it said.
Laxman was caught on camera accepting the cash in a 2001 sting conducted by newsportal tehelka.Com. The video CDs, which were released by the portal on March 13, 2001, had sparked a political storm, forcing Laxman to quit as the BJP chief.
The judge noted that Laxman, in the very first meeting with the representatives of the company, had agreed to extend his influence for getting a supply order in their favour with respect to a defence related equipment for his personal gains, without giving it a thought that the device may be inferior.
The court said that the problem of large-scale and rampant corruption, more particularly, the political corruption is weakening the political body and damaging the supreme importance of the law, governing the society.
“The wisdom in the saying ‘crime never pays’ is belied by the factual realities of the day. The crime scenario in our country is distressingly disturbing as it has shattered hopes of both the plebeian and intellectual society about a possible rejuvenation of a value-based society,” it said.
The FIR in the case was registered on December 6, 2006 against Laxman, his assistant personal secretary N Umamaheshwar Raju and personal secretary T Satyamurthy.
Satyamurthy, however, had been granted pardon by a trial court after he turned an approver in the case, while the trial could not proceed against Raju due to lack of evidence. (PTI)

NEW DELHI, Apr 28:
Former SPG chief B V Wanchoo was today named as the new Governor of Goa while E S L Narasimhan and K Sankaranarayanan will have fresh terms as Governors of Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra respectively.
Former Madhya Pradesh Minister and ex-MP Aziz Qureshi was appointed as the next Governor of Uttarakhand replacing Margaret Alva who will move to Rajasthan as Governor for the remainder of her term, Rashtrapati Bhavan announced tonight.
A 1976-batch IPS officer from West Bengal cadre, Wanchoo retired as the head of the Special Protection Group on October 31 last year after heading the elite unit for more than seven years.
He was Joint Director in the Intelligence Bureau when he was picked up by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to head the SPG in 2004.
The appointments were cleared at the Congress Core Group meeting on Friday presided over by party president Sonia Gandhi with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh by her side. (PTI)