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Showing posts from February, 2014

Major reshuffle expected in Maharashtra Police leadership

The State Home Department in Maharashtra is gearing up for a significant overhaul of its top police leadership, including the position of Director General of Police (DGP) and Police Commissioners of Nagpur and Thane. The impending retirement of the current DGP, Rajnish Seth, on December 31 has prompted the department to commence the process of selecting his successor.A top rank official said that several prominent names have emerged as contenders for the esteemed position of State DGP. The frontrunner is Senior IPS Officer Rashmi Shukla, who currently serves as the Director General (DG) of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB). Mumbai Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar is also a strong candidate for the role. Other notable contenders include Thane CP Jaijeet Singh, DG ATS Sadanand Date, DG Police Housing Sandeep Bishnoi, DG Railway Pradnya Sarvade, Additional Director of NIA Atulchandra Kulkarni, and DG State Security Corporation Bipin Kumar Singh, he said. He further stated that the State Home ...

Seven rounds fired at Hasanbag, goon dead, two injured

By Dheeraj Fartode Sensation prevailed in Hasanbag area on Tuesday after property dealer, he was younger brother of notorious goon Shamsher Ali, was shot dead over a property dispute. Gaffar Ali Ramjan Ali (40) was shot from almost point blank range at his eatery located at Aurangzeb Square. The incident police said occurred at 7 pm. The shooters police said came on a two wheeler and shot Gaffar and later fled on their bike. Gaffar was involved in property dealing and sources said the shooting was fallout of a dispute over a prime piece of land. The bike-borne goons fired seven rounds that left two others injured in the attack. The accused police said used two fire arms to kill Gaffar. Police spot panchanama at tea joint where  the firing took place on Tuesday evening.  Gaffar was at his eatery when the accused arrived on mobike from his back to avoid getting detected. The accused parked their motorbike and fired rounds from point blank range. Gaffar sustaine...

Mahagenco blames poor quality coal, shortage for low PLF

Under fire for alleged gross inefficiency and high cost of generating power, the Maharashtra State Power Generation Company Limited ( Mahegenco) has refuted all the allegations and claimed that it was victim of receiving inferior quality coal from coal utilities.  The poor quality of coal received, the unfair practices in sampling, the failure to supply the contracted quantity as per Fuel Supply Agreement (FSA) has affected performance, Mahagenco admitted in an official release while asserting that MSPGCL’s position stands vindicated in the recent orders passed by Competition Commission of India (CCI) as well as by Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court. CCI has castigated and penalised CIL for abuse of its dominant position and imposition of unjust and unfair terms in FSA particularly in matter of sampling procedure on the customers. The CCI has ruled that CIL should modify the FSA to provide for fair and joint sampling and testing procedure and may consider sampling at unloading e...

Book railway retiring room online now

Indian Railways has made it possible for a passenger to reserve retiring room online sitting at his drawing room. Rooms at the originating station or at the destination station could be reserved online. Earlier, one had to avail the retiring room on reaching the destination station and it was purely dependent on availability. Then, in the next phase, Railways introduced online reservation possible wherein the passenger had to visit the nearest railway junction, where the matron of the retiring room, having the access to online reservation will block the room and give a reservation slip. Passenger will have to provide the PNR Number of his ticket and an ID proof to get the reservation done. Now, a passenger having a confirmed ticket PNR number will have to just visit www.railtourismindia.com of the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) and punch in his PNR number. The system will show the details of the retiring rooms available during the said journey period....

Mahagenco files police complaint against coal washery operators

The washery operators were engaged to wash and minimize the ash content in coal received from Western Coalfields Limited, South Eastern Coalfields Limited, Mahanadi Coalfields Limited  By Dheeraj Fartode Accusing coal washery operators with embezzeling 6.16 lakh metric tonne coal worth Rs 122 crore, Maharashtra State Power Generatioon Company Limited (MSPGC) has filed a complaint with Sadar police against six operators requesting to register offence against them for criminal breach of trust, forgery, cheating and fraud.  According to Mahagenco, the washery operators were engaged to wash and minimize the ash content in coal received from Western Coalfields Limited, South Eastern Coalfields Limited, Mahanadi Coalfields Limited and the alleged discrepancy took place during 2009 to 2011. The contract with washery operators was terminated in August 2012 and their bank guarantee was confiscated. It was followed by long and bitter legal proceedings between Mahagenco and wa...

Fight between AAP and NCP workers at Nagpur

By Dheeraj Fartode Tension erupted at Jadhav square, Ganeshpeth area after Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) came face to face on Saturday following AAP office ransacked at Mumbai. Ganeshpeth police detained AAP state convenor Anjali Damania and other AAP workers. The AAP alleged police action was one-sided and called the police partial. Police trying to avoid tussle between NCP  workers and AAP workers on Saturday.  Police said that some NCP workers torched statue of AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejariwal at Ganeshpeth area. AAP workers led by Damania rushed near MSRTC’s Bus Terminus, Ganeshpeth to launch ‘Jhadu Yatra’ against NCP’s move. Sensing about the AAP protest, NCP workers rushed to the spot and started sloganeering against AAP. AAP workers were too launched sloganeering against NCP.  Team of Ganeshpeth police station rushed to the spot and bundled AAP leaders in police vehicle. Sachin Somkuwar, Spokeperson of AA...

Aam Admi Party targets Ajit Pawar over power sector bunglings

Damania to reveal another scam today to target Ajit Pawar By Dheeraj Fartode Launching a frontal attack against Deputy Chief Minister and Energy Minister Ajit Pawar, State convenor of Aam Admi Party (AAP) Anjali Damania on Sunday reiteratred her allegation of Rs 22,000 crore scam in Maharashtra State Power Generation Company Limited (MahaGenco) and also promised to reveal a mega-scam in power sector on Monday at Mumbai.  Speaking to reporters, Damania claimed that this would be one of the biggest ever scam in power sector which took place between 2009 to 2011 involving Ajit Pawar. Referring to recent complaint filed by Mahagenco with Sadar Police against six operators requesting to register offence against them for criminal breach of trust, forgery, cheating and fraud, Damania claimed that the complaint has endorsed their claim of mind-boggling corruption in power sector.  Refuting claim of Mahacenco that coal was unavailable for power sector, Damania said, Mahage...

Vote for credible party, honest individuals: VHP chief

By Dheeraj Fartode Steering clear of any political controversy International working president of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) Dr Pravin Togadia on Sunday urged people to vote for candidates and party which has stature, credibility and morality. At the same time, he took pot-shots at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) without naming it for forgetting the core issues of Ram temple, common civil code and Article 370.   Addressing a press conference at VHP office, Dr Togadia urged people to check past performance of the parties and select only thouse who honoured their commitments. VHP has no political agenda and the organisation is not supporting anyone, he clarified.  Dr Pravin Togadia Dubbing UPA led Government as ‘biased’ on the issue of formation of Minority Development Corporation, Dr Togadia said, why the corporation was formed only for minorities while ignoring other poor and needy Indians and also criticised the government for distributing scholarship to only minori...

India Health Line to provide free health facility to poor: Dr Togadia

Dr Pravin Togadia launched IHL in Nagpur Doctors to provide free health facility to poors on a single phone call  By Dheeraj Fartode Dr Pravin Togadia, International Working President of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Sunday launched India Health Line (IHL), an initiative to provide health services to the needy and poor patients at low cost, here on Sunday. “IHL is the biggest ever health initiative to provide free health facility to all the poor Hindus on a single phone call across the nation. We are trying to connect patients with doctors willing to provide health services,” said Dr Togadia.   Former MP Banwarilal Purohit, VHP President Vijayjeet Walia, VHP vice-president Dr Hemant Jambhekar, City chief Satish Vyavhare, renowned cardiologist Dr P K Deshpande, Surgeon Dr Prashant Rahate and others were present on the dais.  Launching IHL, Dr Togadia, himself a renowned cancer surgeon, said, “there are untreated diseases only because patients after primary...

ATM card cloning case: Debit card holders beware

City woman lost Rs 22,000 cash withdrawn from an ATM in Ambala Cant in fresh case  By Dheeraj Fartode Beware, the next time you swipe your debit card at petrol pumps. An inter-state gang of cheats are cloning ATM cards and withdrawing money. Three such incidents were reported in during the week in which gang members cloned debit cards and fraudulently withdrew Rs. 1 lakh, Rs 22,000 and Rs 7,000 from accounts of three persons. The money was withdrawn from ATMs in Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.  The ill-trained sleuths at cyber cell of city police are still working on the case as usual and yet to made any headway in the case after a week.  Sonali Ganesh Tiwari, a resident of Plot no 8, Modern Housing Society, Chhattrapati Nagar, has account at State Bank of India (SBI), Bajaj Nagar branch. She told ‘The Hitavada’ that she received a SMS on her mobile phone on February 7 at 12.40 am about withdrawal of Rs 22,000. She immediately rushed to an ATM and checked balance ...

CCTV in Commissioner of Police's office non-functional for past one year

Top police brass in Nagpur Police Commissionerate seems deeply untouched at non working of surveillance system By Dheeraj Fartode The next time city police dishes out expert advice, especially to keep a check on intruders, citizens or business should dare to ask back the cops, have they done it themselves? The question has arisen as the close circuit televisions (CCTV) system at office of Commissioner of Police have been rendered useless. The reason, CCTV at CP office are out of order for past one year or so. Sources informed that the cameras were installed during the tenure of then CP Pravin Dixit who then ordered police station to advocate using CCTV after receipt of theft complaints. After working for a year, the system developed a technical snag during the tenure of Ankush Dhanvijay as CP. Dhanvijay paid little heed to repair the CCTV. K K Pathak took over reins of Nagpur Police Commissionerate in November 2012, and with the defunct CCTV system also, now it is learnt....

Police clueless about Rs 39 lakh dacoity

Police analysing photographs of the dacoits, said DCP Darade  By Dheeraj Fartode Lakadganj police have failed to make any headway in the Saturday’s Rs 39 lakh dacoity at Umesh Courier Service even as senior police officers claim investigations are on track. A senior police officer said that police are exploring records of dacoits and also anlaysing movement of dreaded goons of city. “We have recovered CCTV footage and analysing photographs of the dacoits,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP Zone-III) Sanjay Darade. The dacoity was act of professionalism and hence probe is centered on tracking criminals having involvement in such crimes in past. Sources further informed that modus operandi of the dacoits was like habitual dacoits. The police have sent photographs of the dacoits to all police stations and also contacted other police unit to get the lead about identity of accused persons. A senior police officer claimed that special teams of Crime Branch are also ...

Finally, Maharashtra Government announce transfers of top police officers

Dr Arti Singh to be new chief of Nagpur Rural Police while Ravindra Kadam would be Spl. IGP Nagpur Range Four new senior officers from city shifted as State Government complies with directives of Election Commission By Dheeraj Fartode Maharashtra Government enacted a major re-shuffle in the Police Department on Saturday on the last day of the deadline set by the Election Commission. In one stroke, State Government cleared the year long wait for promotions along with transfers, that took into account the norms which stated that police officers who had completed three year in a particular district during the past four year or those who would be completing three years on or before May 31 should be moved out of that place. IG Ravindra Kadam The orders issued by Government covered 86 senior officers, Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACP), 494 Police Inspectors (PIs), 384 Assistant Police Inspectors (APIs). As to Nagpur, Additional Commissioner of Police (South Region) Ana...

6 dacoits loot Rs 39 lakh cash from courier office at Nagpur

Dacoits tied hands of workers with handcuffs Stuffed cash in four bags and fled  CCTV footag seized by police By Dheeraj Fartode In a day-light dacoity, six masked dacoits looted Rs 39 lakh cash from a courier office on the gun point at Anaaj Bazaar just 50 feet away from Police post of Lakadganj police station on Friday. The accused barged in the office and tied hands of workers and office owner with handcuffs and fled by stuffing the cash in four bags. Police said that the scared by dacoity, the office owner firsts close down shutter of the office, went to unknown place and then approached to the police station. According to police, Santosh Kumar Patel along with four workers were counting money at Umesh Courier Service, at Anaaz Bazaar. The accused, who well aware about money present in the office, parked their vehicle 100 feets away from the office and entered at around 4.30 pm. They first threatened the Santosh and workers on the gun point and tied their hands with ...

Samjhauta Express blast case: Patently wrong to drag RSS in terror act: Bitta

Appoint anti-terror court, crush terror outfits mercilessly, demands AIATF president Bitta Cong going soft on terror, forgetting Indira and Rajiv, laments former YC president  By Dheeraj Fartode Accusing political parties of pursuing “political terrorism,” Chairman of the All-India Anti-Terrorist Front (AIATF) and former chief of the Indian Youth Congress Maninderjeet Singh Bitta on Tuesday lashed out at people who are trying to level allegations against Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Dr Mohan Bhagwat about his alleged involvement in Samjhauta Express blast case. Such petty accusations is hampering our fight against terrorism, lamented Bitta, who was attacked several times by Khalistani terror groups.  Bitta also lashed out at his own party and claimed that Congress was deviating from the path of late Indira Gandhi and late Rajiv Gandhi. Both of them sacrificed their lives for the nation, but present Congress leaders are least bothered to crush terrorist movem...

Fake theft complaint: The Rs 61 lakh theft at Dhantoli, which never took place

Mystery deepens as complainant has now claimed that cash worth Rs 40 lakh and 1.5 kg gold was found in another room  By Dheeraj Fartode The mystery behind big theft worth Rs 61 lakh at Dhantoli has been solved by complainant himself, who has now claimed that the “booty was simply misplaced and found elsewhere in the house.” The cops also sincerely believed this explaination since the complainant is closely related to an influential political leader. The man, who had taken entire police machinery for ride, just said ‘sorry’ for the inconvenience and the good cops closed the case.  Police Inspector of Dhantoli Police station, Maroti Shende confirmed the information and said that complainant Ramkumar Shankarrao Motghare (60), a resident of 3rd floor, Manindra Smriti Apartment, Dhantoli approached the police after two days and told that the booty was placed at another spot in the home and he simply forgot about it. The police had registered the case under sections 454...

Coal supply to Power Utility sector to be monitored regularly

Coal supplies to Power Utility sector is monitored regularly by an Inter-Ministerial Sub-Group comprising representatives of Ministry of Power, Ministry of Coal and Ministry of Railways constituted by the Infrastructure Review Committee of Cabinet Secretariat. This Sub-Group takes various operational decisions for smooth coal supplies to power utilities and for meeting any contingent situations relating to Power sector including critical coal stock position. Further, as reported by Central Electricity Authority (CEA), none of the TPPs of Rajasthan are presently carrying critical coal stock position (coal stock of less than 7 days). Coal is supplied by Coal India Limited (CIL) as per the terms of Fuel Supply Agreement (FSA) for power stations in the country including those in Rajasthan. CIL has guaranteed to supply 90% of Annual Contract Quantity (ACQ) for TPPs commissioned prior to 31.03.2009 and 80% of ACQ for Thermal Power Plants (TPPs) commissioned after 31.3.2009. Supply of ...

Port development projects: Government allowed 100% FDI

100% FDI under the automatic route is being allowed for port development projects. The Minister of Shipping  G.K.Vasan in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today said that the Maritime Agenda 2010-2020 has set a target of over 3130 Million Tonnes for port capacity by 2020. The existing capacity of all Major Ports upto December, 2013 was 780.29 Million Tonnes (MT). Income tax incentives are also allowed as per Income Tax Act, 1961 for development of port projects. Security clearance procedures have been streamlined. Developers from foreign countries are allowed only after they are given security clearance based on inputs from Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and Ministry of Defence (MoD), the minister added.

Domestic Violence in India: Conviction Rate shoot up

As per the provisional data of  National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) the cases registered/charge sheeted, persons arrested/charge sheeted/ convicted, under Domestic Violence Act, 2005, during 2009 to 2012, year-wise are as under, which shows a rising trend in conviction rate. Year Cases Registered Cases Charge-sheeted Persons Arrested Persons Charge-sheeted Persons Convicted 2009 16013 1922 1332 1385 129 2010 14189 4588 809 926 119 2011 14520 6105 1527 3431 370 2012 16309 1706 1093 2873 454 Domestic Violence in India As per National Family Health Survey III (2005-06) data, 35.4% of women in the age group of 15-49 and approximately 40% of ever married women have experienced physical or sexual violence.  6.7% of all women have experienced both physical and sexual forms of domestic violence. Further, the data suggests that both physical and sexual forms of domestic violence against women are higher...

Swadhar scheme for women in difficult circumstances

The Ministry of Women and Child Development is implementing shelter based rehabilitation scheme ‘Swadhar’ for women in difficult circumstances. The beneficiaries include widows deserted by their families and relatives and left uncared near religious places where they are victims of exploitation. The beneficiaries are provided with primary need of shelter, food, clothing, counseling, medical and legal aid as also skill upgradation for economic rehabilitation. 311 Swadhar Shelter Homes are functioning across the country. Four Swadhar Shelter Homes are functioning at Vrindavan, Mathura, U.P. under the scheme.  In compliance of the Order of Supreme Court dated 14.11.2008 in Writ Petition (Civil)No. 659 of 2007, (Environment & Consumer Protection Foundation Vs. Union of India and others), National Commission for Women (NCW) conducted a detailed study to inquire into the plight of widows living in Vrindavan of Mathura District in Uttar Pradesh. The study report was prepared and fi...

Anganwadi workers are honorary workers can not be declared as Government employees

The Integrated Child Development Services Scheme envisages the Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) and Anganwadi Helpers (AWHs) as “ honorary workers” from the local community who come forward to render their services, on part-time basis, in the area of child care and development, Government of India has been fully conscious of the significance of voluntary efforts put in by these honorary workers and, therefore, consistent efforts have been made to improve their working conditions by extending facilities / benefits from time to time.  The AWWs and AWHs are paid fixed honorarium per month as decided by the Government from time to time. Presently, AWWs are paid Honoraria of Rs. 3000/- per month w.e.f. 01-04-2011. The AWHs and AWWs of Mini- Anganwadi Centres are paid honoraria of Rs. 1500/- per month w.e.f. 01-04-2011. Recently, AWWs of Mini – AWCs are being paid honoraria of Rs. 2250/- w.e.f. 04-07-2013. Apart from these, additional amount of honoraria are also paid by most of the State Gov...

Home for children scheme: 1253 Homes including Children Homes and 193 open shelters are supported

As per Section 24 (1) of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000 [JJ Act], whoever, employs or uses any juvenile or the child for the purpose or causes any juvenile to beg shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years and shall also be liable to fine. Further, Section 24 (2) of the JJ Act provides whoever, having the actual charge of, or control over, a juvenile or the child abets the commission of the offence punishable under sub-section (1), shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year and shall also be liable to fine. Moreover, Section 25 of the JJ Act provides whoever gives, or causes to be given, to any juvenile or the child any intoxicating liquor in a public place or any narcotic drug or psychotropic substance accept upon the order of duly qualified medical practitioner or in case of sickness shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years and shall als...