In a bid to get Rs 79 refund for cancelled food order, Chennai woman loses Rs 40,000 to fraudster

Priya Agarwal, whose online order worth Rs 79 was cancelled, ended up spending Rs 5000-instalments to a trickster who promised to resolve the issue.

Published: 05th July 2019 04:39 AM

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: In an attempt to get Rs 79 back from a food aggregator, a 21-year-old woman was conned into paying Rs 40,000. Priya Agarwal had gone to Vadapalani on Wednesday.

“She had ordered food from an aggregator for Rs 79. A few minutes later, the order was cancelled. She made an attempt to speak to the customer care and searched for the number online,” said a police officer. Subsequently, she found a number and raised a complaint.

“The man promised to resolve the issue if she paid Rs 5,000 and claimed that the money would be refunded. He claimed that it was difficult to transfer Rs 79 as it was a small amount. Believing this, she transferred the money but did not get a refund.

When she contacted the number again, the fraudster asked her to deposit another Rs 5,000. The woman was told to keep sending Rs 5,000-installments till she ended up sending Rs 40,000. It was only when she did not get the money and the number was switched off, that she realised she had been conned,” said a police officer.

College told to return fees and certificates

The students Harish Krishnan and Sooraj Suresh of Alappuzha joined a hotel management course at Chennai Amritas College.

Published: 05th July 2019 06:07 AM

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Two 17-year-old students from Kerala, who studied in a private college here, heaved a sigh of relief after their struggle to get back fees and their original certificates from the college following their drop-out came to an end, thanks to the District Legal Services Authority.

The students Harish Krishnan and Sooraj Suresh of Alappuzha joined a hotel management course at Chennai Amritas College. However, when they discontinued the course, and requested return of their certificates and refund of fees, the college demanded Rs 48,000. The students then sought the help of the DLSA.

I Jayanthi, DLSA secretary, said that the college authorities were called for a meeting. “They soon agreed to hand over the original certificates to the students after their financial situation was explained.”

HC grants 30 days of ordinary leave to Rajiv case convict Nalini

Mohamed Imranullah S.

CHENNAI, JULY 06, 2019 00:00 IST

Nalini being brought to the Madras High Court for the hearing on Friday.R. RaguThe Hindu

She appears in court and makes a fervent plea for parole

The Madras High Court on Friday granted 30 days of ordinary leave to S. Nalini, 52, a life convict in the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination case. The order was passed after she argued her case in person and made a fervent plea to the judges in a choked voice that she may be allowed to step out of prison for some days to make arrangements for the marriage of her daughter, who is residing in London.

Nalini had many years ago come out on short paroles of a day each to attend her brother Bhagyanathan’s wedding and her father’s last rites.

Justices M.M. Sundresh and M. Nirmal Kumar took judicial notice that the State Cabinet itself had on September 9 last year made a recommendation to the Governor to release all seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. “If, in the view of the government, the petitioner can be allowed to lead a normal life and she would not be a hindrance to society, the request for leave can never be objected to,” they said.

The judges also directed the State government to bear the expenses of providing escort to her during the period of leave since she expressed difficulty in paying the charges.

‘Provide help’

“There is no material to hold that she is a woman of means. Admittedly, she and her husband are in incarceration for decades. Asking the petitioner to pay the cost would in a way take away the very order passed by us when it is impossible of compliance,” they said. They also recorded her statement that she shall refrain from giving interviews to the media and meeting leaders of political parties or any other organisation during her leave period.

In her affidavit, the convict had actually sought for six months of leave but the judges restricted it to 30 days because that was the maximum period of leave that could be granted at a time under the rules though there were provisions of extending it further. Reading out a prepared written speech in Tamil in the open court, the convict said, she was pregnant at the time of her arrest 28 years ago and gave birth to a baby girl in prison.

The girl was in prison till four years of age and then went out to pursue her studies in Coimbatore for some time. Subsequently, she was taken to Sri Lanka by her grandparents and then flew to the U.K. Stating that she, as a parent, could not attend to any of the needs of her daughter, now 27, the convict, with moist eyes, pleaded with the court that she should be allowed to at least find a groom for her and make preparations for the marriage.

Pay pension to retired TNCSC employees, union tells government

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

THANJAVUR, JULY 05, 2019 00:00 IST

Warns of agitation to achieve demand

The Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation Employees Union, affiliated to AITUC, has urged the State government to sanction pension to retired TNCSC employees.

In a statement issued here on Thursday, TNCSC State general secretary, C. Chandrakumar condemned Food Minister R. Kamaraj for giving an “evasive” reply to a question raised in this regard by DMK MLA Senguttuvan on the floor of the State Assembly.

He pointed out that employees of Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board were being provided with pension benefits on par with government employees. Also minimum pension amount was being extended to retired employees of Aavin and Central Cooperative Banks.

Hence, Chandrakumar said, it would be unfair on the part of the State government to deny pension benefits to employees who implemented various people-oriented welfare schemes and measures announced by it.

He urged the State government to consider sanction of pension to TNCSC employees positively.

Otherwise, a situation would arise wherein protests and other form of agitations would be held to achieve the demand of the employees, Mr. Chandrakumar said.

Power shutdown tomorrow

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

MADURAI, JULY 05, 2019 00:00 IST

There will be power shutdown in the following areas between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Saturday as TANGEDCO plans to undertake maintenance work at its Mattuthavani and Anna Bus Stand sub-stations:

Mattuthavani, Lake Area, K. K. Nagar, SIDCO Industrial Estate, Anna Nagar, Rama Varma Nagar, Alagarkoil Road, Karpaga Nagar, Lourdu Nagar, Ganapathipuram, Surveyor Colony, Surya Nagar, Min Nagar and Kodikulam.

Anna Bus Stand, Collector’s Office, Gandhi Museum, Karumbalai, Dr. Thangaraj Road, Anna Maaligai, SBI Staff Quarters, Gandhi Nagar, Mathichiyam, Shenoy Nagar, Kuruvikkaran Salai, Kamala Nagar, Madurai Medical College, Panagal Road, American College, Government Rajaji Hospital, Vaigai Vadakarai, Alwarpuram, Kalpalam Road, Goripalayam, Zambropuram, Mariamman Temple Street, Chinna Kanmai Street, H. A. Khan Road, E2 Road, OCPM Girls Higher Secondary School, Sellur, R. S. Naidu Road, Kalathu Pottal, Palam Station Road, Khansapuram, Tallakulam, Tamukkam, Gandhi Museum Road, Sevalayam Road, R. R. Mandapam, Ismailpuram, Munichalai Road, Aattu Manthai Pottal, Vetrilai Pettai, Sungam Palli Vaasal Street and Yanaikkal, a press release from TANGEDCO said.

Plea seeks EWS quota in MBBS admission

STAFF REPORTER

MADURAI, JULY 05, 2019 00:00 IST

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Thursday ordered notice to the Centre and the State after yet another medical aspirant filed a petition, this time seeking a direction to implement the reservation quota for the economically weaker sections (EWS) for medical admission. Justice R. Suresh Kumar ordered notice to the respondents and adjourned the hearing by a week in a petition filed by V. Krishna Nair of Kanniyakumari district.

The petitioner sought a direction to the Centre and the State to implement the 10% seat reservation for EWS candidates.

The petitioner complained that while most of the States were implementing the quota, Tamil Nadu had not done so.

With the MBBS counselling for government quota scheduled to begin on July 5, non-implementation of the quota was against natural justice, she said and sought a direction to the respondents to implement the EWS reservation quota for selection of candidates.

Instal CCTV cameras at bus stands, depots and offices to curb irregularities: court

STAFF REPORTER

MADURAI, JULY 05, 2019 00:00 IST

Directs Transport department to investigate allegations of fund misappropriation

After a former Senior Superintendent of the Transport Corporation alleged serious misappropriation of the Corporation’s funds, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Thursday directed the department to conduct an inquiry into the allegations.

Justice S.M. Subramaniam directed the Principal Secretary to issue suitable orders to install CCTV cameras at bus stands, depots, administrative offices and other workplaces of the department for the purpose of monitoring its employees and to ascertain if there were any irregularities.

Asset details

The court directed the Principal Secretary to investigate in order to ascertain asset details of all higher officials working in the management level as well as their spouse and dependants with reference to the declarations given by them in service records, within a period of six weeks.

If any discrepancy was uncovered, disciplinary proceedings should be initiated.

Four months

The exercise should be carried out within four months, the court said.

The court was hearing the petition filed by P. Rajendran who sought a direction to the Principal Secretary to the Transport Department to take appropriate disciplinary action against M. Sugumar, Joint Managing Director (JMD) of the Tamil Nadu State Transport Development Finance Corporation, Chennai. The petitioner alleged deliberate and wilful misappropriation of funds by the JMD.

The court observed that all Transport Corporations in the State were running up financial losses despite an increase in the number of passengers, while private players were earning profits. It is a high time for the State to conduct an investigation and inquire into the large scale irregularities, in order to win the confidence of the public, the court added.