Monthly Archives: August 2018

NEW DELHI: Pradeep Chauhan, the man who has been accused of blackmailing Union minister VK Singh’s wife, has filed a police complaint alleging that there was a threat to his life as he was aware of some “secrets” of the minister’s family.

In his complaint, a copy of which is with HT, he stated, “I am being threatened because I have strong evidence against Singh and his family planning to eliminate a Colonel and his OSD (officer on special duty). I have both audio and video clips to support my claims.”

He also named VK Singh’s daughter, wife Bharti Singh, brother-in-law and a captain of the army in his complaint.

Sources said that Chauhan has recorded conversations between Singh and some officials of the ministry of external affairs related to some inquiries. The recordings also had some correspondence between Singh and defence ministry officials.

“We are not aware of any such allegations. All of this is rubbish. Let the investigation agency work and get to the bottom of it,” Singh’s counsel Vishwajeet Singh said.

Chauhan has reportedly submitted his phone to the Gurgaon police for investigation. It will now be handed over to the Delhi Police who are looking into the case. “The mobile will be sent for forensic examination. If Chauhan pursues the case, then voice samples of Bharati and Singh will be collected and compared with the audio clips recovered from Chauhan’s phone,” an investigator told HT.

Sources said that Singh’s family approached the police to quash the case. The police, however, refused to act saying that the matter was now in the court.

Army marching band members perform during ‘Know Your Army’ exhibition at the Panther stadium in Amritsar on Wednesday.

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, August 10

Reaching out to civilians with some intricate details about the working of Indian Armed forces, 15 Infantry division of army kicked off the six day exhibition at Panther stadium. It was inaugurated by 15 infantry division General officer Commanding Major General Nav K Khandhuri. The exhibition displays weapons, engineering equipment, tanks and other significant ammunition in use by army.The Army band playing signature tunes, the first day of the exhibition saw moderate crowd with school students thronging the stadium to know about the combat weapons and equipment used by the army. A minor disruption due to sudden rainfall, notwithstanding, the exhibition progressed with cultural programmes on national integration. Battle tanks displayed at the exhibition were a major crowd puller and army officers also gave out information regarding the recruitment procedure to the enthusiastic young visitors.Addressing the gathering at the exhibition, Major General Khanduri said, “The purpose of the exhibition is to make youngsters aware about the armed forces as a lucrative career option and also make them privy to the various technical know-how. It will help inculcate the spirit of patriotism in today’s youth and motivate them to come forward in nation-building.” He also said that the army will continue organizing such exhibitions after few months. The exhibition was attended by the NCC cadets, retired army officers, IAS officers and students in heavy number.With series of such exhibition to promote Army-civilian interaction being organized over the years in various cities, Major General Khanduri said that such exhibitions will continue to reach out to youngsters.

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 6It’s unprecedented. Key posts in the military are without regular appointees. These include posts of Western Army Commander, Director General Military Intelligence (DGMI) and Master General Ordnance (MGO).Even a top Air Force officer, Air Marshal S Neelakantan, who was holding temporary charge as CISC, has been posted out. The post of DGMI, too, does not have a regular appointee after Lt Gen KG Krishna superannuated on July 31. Normally appointments to such posts are made a month in advance. In the Western Command headquartered at Chandimandir, the General Officer Commanding of Jalandhar-based 11 Corps, Lt Gen Jagbir Singh Cheema, is the officiating Chief after Lt Gen KJ Singh superannuated on July 31. The Western Command is the only command dual-tasked with Pakistan and China (Himachal Pradesh) border.Lt Gen DR Soni, an Armoured Corps officer who till a fortnight ago was commanding the Bathinda-based 10 Corps, is a contender for the Western Command as well as the Shimla-based Army Training Command. He was set to be the Commander-in-Chief Andaman and Nicobar Command but the proposal to keep the post with the Navy, and not to rotate it between the three services, has held that back.Meanwhile, ARTRAC commander Lt Gen PM Hariz has been appointed to head the Southern Army Command on September 1, replacing Lt Gen Bipin Rawat, who has been appointed as the next Vice Chief of the Army after Lt Gen MMS Rai superannuates on August 31. The other contender for the Western Army Commander post is the Sukna-based 33 Corps Commander Lt Gen Surinder Singh.

New Delhi

American defence major Lockheed Martin on Thursday said it has offered to move its lone production line of the latest version of fighter aircraft F 16-Block 70 to India from Texas to meet Indian and global requirement. “The offer is unmatched and unprecedented,” Randall L Howard, F16 Business Development head, said. PTI

Patna

Toppers scam: One held

The third rank holder in science stream of the Intermediate Examination from Bishun Rai College in Bihar has been arrested by the Patna police, which is probing the toppers scam in the state. Rahul Kumar was arrested from his uncle’s house at Azampur village. It has been revealed that a deal of Rs 5 lakh was struck to make him a rank-holder, City SP Chandan Kushwaha said. PTI

Lucknow

Relief for farmers

The UP Awas Vikas Parishad has decided to return 35,000 acres acquired across 15 cities for housing colonies to farmers. Housing Commissioner RP Singh said most housing projects had been planned in the 1980s and the process of acquiring land had started after that, running into legal disputes. TNS

Gorakhpur

Ex-minister gets life term

A former Uttar Pradesh minister was on Thursday sentenced to life imprisonment by a court in a 22-year-old murder case. According to the prosecution, a body was recovered from the farmhouse of Jitendra Jaiswal alias Pappur Bhaiyya at Pipraich in 1994. After hearing arguments, the court held Jaiswal guilty. Jaiswal was a minister in the state cabinet during the BJP regime in the 1990s. PTI

Chennai, July 31

There is no stepping down of search operations for the Indian Air Force AN-32 plane with 29 people on board that went missing on July 22, despite no signs of debris or oil slick on the sea surface, a senior Indian Coast Guard officer said on Sunday.“Whether it is the Coast Guard or Indian Navy or IAF, the search operations have not been slowed or stepped down,” the officer, who did not want to be named, said.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)He said now hopes are pinned on the Sagar Nidhi vessel belonging to the National Institute of Ocean Technology that is expected to join search operations soon.The ship has the capacity to search under water and is expected to join search operations on August 2 or 3.The plane went missing shortly after taking off from Chennai for Port Blair. Its last pick-up was 151 nautical miles east of Chennai when it took a left turn with a rapid loss of height. — IANS

IAF Su 30 flying over the upgraded Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) at Pasighat after its inauguration on Friday. PTI

Pasighat (Arunachal Pradesh), August 19

Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said on Friday that the Chinese army had transgressed Arunachal Pradesh’s border twice last month, although they could be called “incursions”.

“We cannot term it as incursion, but transgression, as the Chinese army just crossed the perceived area along the Line of Actual Control,” he told reporters after inaugurating the Pasighat Advance Landing Ground (ALG) in the northeastern state.

Rijiju said one incident was reported from Kibithu area in remote Anjaw district on July 22 and another at Thangsa in Tawang district later in the same month. Both acts were put down as transgressions, he said.

The ALG will allow fighter aircraft like Su 30 MKI to land and take off in a major fillip to India’s military capabilities along its border with China.

The Centre had already started strengthening infrastructure to match China, Rijiju said, adding that the ALG at Pasighat was a major step in the direction.

“We are not challenging or competing with any other country by strengthening our border infrastructure. We will have to build robust infrastructure to strengthen our defence and whatever we have done is because India is an emerging power with capability.

“So IAF should have operational bases in all the bordering states,” he said, noting that the Centre attaches priority to development of border infrastructure.

Asked about the proposed ALG at Tawang, the minister said an area had been identified between Tawang and Lumla at an altitude of 11,000 feet and a rugged terrain at that height was very challenging.

“We will have to see whether the site is feasible or otherwise we will have to look for an alternate place,” he said.

To a question about some leaders of insurgent outfits from the northeast taking shelter in Myanmar, Rijiju said that India has requested Myanmar to take action against the insurgent groups taking shelter in that country.

“There are reports of some leaders of insurgent outfits from the northeast taking shelter in Myanmar and we are in constant talks with the government of that country requesting it to take action against them,” the minister said. — PTI

S

UNPROVOKED FIRING Sources say the ceasefire violation in Poonch could be an attempt to provide cover for infiltrators

From page 01 JAMMU: On the eve of the Independence day, Pakistan resorted to heavy shelling and firing since the wee hours in the forward areas, along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu’s Poonch sector.

HTPakistani Rangers present sweets to Border Security Force personnel at Wagah Border on Sunday.

The intermittent firing is said to be going on since 3.30am.

The ceasefire violation came on the heels of a grenade being lobbed on Buddha Amarnath pilgrims in Poonch town on Saturday night, in which 20 people were injured.

Pakistan army is using heavy fire and is pounding 60 MM and 80 MM mortar shells on civilian areas of Shahpur and Kheeri close to LoC while trying to escalate the situation along the border.

Sources said that this could be an attempt by Pakistan to provide cover fire to infiltrators who are waiting in the launching pads across LoC as the snow passes have fully melted.

Meanwhile, the administration has asked the residents of the area to remain indoors.

Defence spokesman, lieutenant colonel Manish Mehta said, “Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violation since early morning in the Poonch sector.”

“The firing is continuing with Pakistan firing small arms, automatics and mortars. Our troops are responding appropriately. No casualty has been reported to our troops till reports last came,” the defence spokesman added.

Meanwhile, one woman was injured after a splinter of a shell hit her while she was working in the fields.

Till July 31, Pakistan had violated ceasefire on 30 occasions along LoC.