Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 28

The Ministry of Defence today issued a statement saying all procurement from tainted Anglo-Italian helicopter maker AgustaWestland has been put on hold since July 2014 and that the contract to supply 12 VVIP helicopters was terminated in January 2014.In simple words, the MoD has indicated that the company is facing a ban.Arun Jaitley of the BJP was the Defence Minister in July 2014 and AK Antony of the Congress was the incumbent in January 2014.The MoD today said the “publicly available information on the procurement of AgustaWestland helicopters clearly shows that the core issue in the matter is corruption”.“The present government has taken effective action to bring out the truth and will leave no stone unturned in pursuing all means to bring to justice the corrupt and the wrong-doers in the case. The time taken is largely because some of the key perpetrators of this misdeed are outside the country,” the statement said.The MoD said questions have been raised on certain trivial technicalities, which appear to be intended to distract attention from the core issue of corruption.The government, through its order dated July 3, 2014, put on hold all procurement/acquisition cases in the pipeline as regards six companies figuring in the FIR registered by the CBI. The said companies are AgustaWestland International Limited, UK; Finmeccanica, Italy, and its group companies, including subsidiaries and affiliates; IDS, Tunisia; Infotech Design System (IDS), Mauritius; IDS Infotech Limited, Mohali; and Aeromatrix Info Solution Private Limited, Chandigarh. No new capital procurement has been made thereafter from these companies.The MoD said a joint venture involving AgustaWestland was cleared by the Foreign Investment Promotion Board. The proposal was approved on September 2, 2011, based on an application by Indian Rotorcraft Ltd, a joint venture of Tata Sons with AgustaWestland NV, Netherlands. This was later changed to AgustaWestland SpA, Italy, due to re-organisation within the group.On February 7, 2012, an industrial licence for the manufacture of helicopters was granted by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion to Indian Rotorcraft Ltd. However, the validity of the licence has since expired.

AT STIR RIGHTS COMMISSION ASKS DCS ABOUT DETAILS OF INSTRUCTIONS ISSUED TO THE MILITARY FOR TACKLING RAMPAGING AGITATORS

Troops carry out a flag march during the Jat agitation in Rohtak. File photo

Deepender Deswal

Tribune News Service

Hisar, April 26

The Haryana Human Rights Commission (HHRC) has sought information from Deputy Commissioners (DC) about Army’s movement and action taken by troops to disperse the mob during the Jat agitation in February.Violence did not stop in districts where the troops were deployed. The district authorities had issued warnings that the Army had been given shoot-at-sight orders to deal with agitators, but experts raised questions about the proper utilisation of troops. Army officials had denied firing on the mob.Around 75 columns of troops were deployed in nine districts and they carried out flag marches carrying placards mentioning “Army” written in bold red letters.The state government had called in Army after local police and administration failed to control arsonists. The troops were deployed in Rohtak, Hisar, Jhajjar, Sonepat, Bhiwani, Fatehabad, Jind, Panipat and Kaithal districts.The HHRC has asked the Deputy Commissioners (DC) to submit reports about the Army’s movement in their respective districts from February 19 to 23. The commission has also asked whether or not troops used force or resorted to firing to disperse agitators.Besides, the DCs have been asked the places where Army was dispatched and the name of the officer deployed as the District Magistrate for the purpose of directing the military authorities.The letter sought details of instructions issued to the military for tackling the agitators.The HHRC had issued notice to the DCs in March to submit the replies within two weeks. Some of them are yet to respond.Director General of Police (DGP) KP Singh recently requested the commission to drop suo motu proceedings against the agitation, after which the HHRC rapped him and granted three more weeks (by May 17) to file the replies.

GPS location of

• cops being tracked
• Jhajjar: The cyber cell of the police is ascertaining the location of officials deployed in the district during the Jat agitation in February. Superintendent of Police (SP) Jashandeep Singh Randhava confirmed the development. “The GPS location of every police official deployed in the district during the stir is being tracked following directives of the higher authorities,” he said. A report would be sent to the higher authority and erring policemen would face action, the SP said. Sources said policemen, up to the inspector rank, were not in the district on February 19, 20 and 21 when the maximum damage was done. Unruly mob set ablaze several government offices, police stations, houses, business establishments and vehicles during the Jat stir. In all, 13 persons were killed in the district.

https://youtu.be/0agBU2Dza2M

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Tribune News Service

Amritsar, April 22

Col Surinder Singh Ghuman’s (retd) is a classic case of how travel agencies, in connivance with bank authorities, defraud vulnerable youths aspiring to go abroad in search of greener pastures.Ghuman’s elder sister’s fixed deposit details were fraudulently attached with documents of a youth seeking admission in an Australian university. The youth belonged to the Majitha township in Amritsar. The travel agency preparing his documents for his admission in the Australian university is also located here.In the documents, the youth posed as the grandson of Kudeep Kaur, said Ghuman. He currently resides in Mohali. Kuldeep is his elder sister. The fraud came to light when the bank authorities sought clarification from Ghuman. His elderly sister had never married and officials of the Oriental Bank of Commerce at Mohali knew about this.Alarmed at this, he immediately approached the bank authorities and sought action against the culprits. Perturbed over the “indifferent” attitude of the bank authorities, he made efforts and zeroed in on an aspiring student, Arshdeep Singh, and the travel agency involved in the alleged scam. He then approached the Amritsar rural police. The student belonged to Majitha, falling under the rural police. After a couple of months, the case has transferred to the city police because the travel agency, OECC, was in the Ranjit Avenue area. Finally following an inquiry conducted by the Economic Offence wing, the Civil Lines police registered a fraud case in this regard on December 12, 2015. The inquiry nominated two persons, including a loan officer of the bank at Jalandhar, identified as Lal Chand, and Kulwinder Singh, an employee of the travelling agency, was booked. The inquiry pointed out that Kulwinder connived with Lal Chand. They kept the student and the manager of the travel agency in dark before attaching documents of Kuldeep Kaur with the file of Arshdeep Singh.Assistant Commissioner of Police BK Singla, who is investigating the case, said the probe was under progress while the police had already registered a case in this regard.

New Delhi, April 22India today reiterated that the dialogue process with Pakistan had not been suspended, as was made out of the remarks by Pakistan High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit, but did not indicate of any progress or possible timeline for a formal exchange.Responding to a question on the issue, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said that after the Pathankot attack, investigation of the incident became the focus, but other aspects too were under discussion. “The dialogue process has not been suspended…rest is a matter of detail…dialogue has never been suspended”.Basit’s remarks on suspension of dialogue earlier led to speculation over the nature of engagement and whether New Delhi and Islamabad were speaking in different voices. The Pakistan Foreign Office said door for negotiations with India was still open. — TNS

Sushma talks tough with China on the need to curb global menance

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj with Chinese and Russian counterparts Wang Yi (L) and Sergei Lavrov, respectively, at RIC Summit in Moscow on Monday. REUTERS

Moscow, April 18

Seeking strong global action against terror networks, India today warned the international community that if it continues to adopt “double standards” in dealing with the menace there will be “serious consequences”.In her address at the Foreign Ministers meeting of RIC (Russia-India-China), External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said the grouping must lead the world in fighting terrorism.“India believes that the foremost challenge to international security continues to be posed by international terrorism. The RIC countries must lead the way in getting the international community together to counter terrorism through joint action, including at the UN,” Swaraj said.“We must not fail in this regard. If we continue to adopt double standards in dealing with terrorism it will have serious consequences not just for our own countries, but the international community as a whole,” she said.Her remarks come in the backdrop of China stopping UN sanctions committee from designating JeM chief Masood Azhar as terrorist, maintaining that the case “did not meet the requirements” of the Security Council.Talking about the UN Security Council reform, she said a greater urgency was required on the issue and sought support of Russia and China.“Let me also touch upon the issue of reform of UN Security Council, on which there has been some positive movement with a text being put for the first time on the table for inter-governmental negotiations. However, we need greater urgency on this issue. I seek the support of my Chinese and Russian colleagues for taking the IGN process forward,” she said.The External Affairs Minister said the slowdown of the global economy had created its own set of issues for economies of all three countries and they must join hands in spurring growth.“As three large, emerging economies, we share similar approaches and could benefit from coordinating our positions,” Swaraj said.On BRICS, Swaraj said it was an important framework to boost economic growth. “We look forward to active participation of all members in the meetings of BRICS during our presidency this year. We hope to have a successful BRICS Summit in Goa in October,” Swaraj said.“Let me end by re-emphasising the importance of RIC for consultations on regional and global issues of common concern. I look forward to our consultations today,” she said.Swaraj said RIC provided a good opportunity to three countries to exchange views on how to jointly contribute to international peace, security and development. — PTI 

Azhar issue raised

• New Delhi: Sushma Swaraj on Monday raised with China the issue of it blocking India’s move at the UN to get Jaish-e-Mohammed chief and Pathankot terror attacks mastermind Masood Azhar designated as an international terrorist. Swaraj met her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines of the RIC Summit in Moscow. In Beijing, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar also conveyed India’s reservations to the Chinese leaders over its stand on Azhar. “We expressed what happened in the UN is not in the right direction and they have to take a common line on terrorism,” he said. tns & agencies

The Pooja Thread tied on wrist of Maj Gen vinod kumar

and Ms Arti Kumar looks on

Rs 11000/- CHQ BEING HANDED OVER BY COL CJS KHERA, GEN SECY ,CAPT KHUSHWANT SINGH ,JOINT SECY,MAJ NS MULTANI,OI/C PENSION CELL,COL SANJEEV BHANOT,PRESIDENT HARYANA UNIT OF SANJHA MORCHA TO SUB AS MULTANI ,PRESIDENT ESM WELFARE ASSOCIATION AMBALA FOR THE ASSOCIATIONS GOOD WORK AND TOWARDS  ESM UNITY

ribbon cutting

A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY FOR ESM FOR SELF EMPLOYMENT TO OPEN SUCH STORE WITH GUIDANCE OF SANJHA MORCHA IN CANTT AREAS.

THE STORES WILL EMPLOY CHILDREN OF ESM,WIDOWS,DEPENDENTS AND ESM WILL WORK THEM SELF IN STORES. ALL WILL BE CENTRALLY CONTROLLED AND  AND FURNISHED, WILL HAVE SAME PRICE OF ITEMS, BELOW MRP RATES.

SAINIK BEST 4 U STORE AT GOLDEN LOIN CSD CANTEEN AMBALA IS FIRST OF ITS KIND IN ANY CANTT

CREDIT GOES TO MAJ GEN VINOD KUMAR,VSM,GOCPH & HP (I) Sub Area, Ambala,FOR HIS NEARSIGHTEDNESS AND WELFARE OF ESM ATTITUDE.

WE ALL SALUTE HIM FOR THE SAME