HC: Court can’t enter into guesswork about probe

HC: Court can’t enter into guesswork about probe

Ajay.Sura@timesgroup.com

Chandigarh:  21.11.2021

The Punjab and Haryana high court has made it clear that it cannot pass any order on a plea to direct the investigating agency, which has summoned a person as witness in some cases, to give advance notice to the person in case he is required to be arrested.

“If such petition is entertained, then it could open up Pandora’s box in as much as every person apprehending arrest would come to the court and file a petition under section 482 CrPc in order to enquire from the investigating authorities or police authorities as to “what they are going to do next”, HC has held. The court was also of the view that intervention of the court in such cases can seriously prejudice the investigation.

Justice Vikas Bahl passed these orders while dismissing a petition filed by Punjab PWD work inspector Harmandeep Singh. The petitioner has been summoned by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) under section 160 CrPc as witness in connection with Punjab’s narco-terror case involving Hizbul Mujahideen. HC was informed that he has apprehension that when he would appear before NIA in pursuance of the notice dated August 8, 2021, he would be arrested and thus, he had sought direction for giving him an advance notice in case he was required to be detained or arrested. Opposing his plea, NIA contended that in this case, the petitioner had not challenged the notice under Section 160 CrPc and is indirectly seeking anticipatory bail which even as per the case of the petitioner, could not have been granted.

NIA also submitted that the petitioner wants HC to enter into guesswork as to what would happen in the course of investigation and in order to preempt the same, the present petition has been filed.

It is submitted that such a petition is legally not maintainable. It is also sought to be argued by relying upon some documents, it is apparent that the petitioner has falsely stated in his petition, on affidavit, that on15.08.2021, the petitioner was on duty on the occasion of the Independence Day, whereas documents from the employer/senior of the petitioner would show that he was on leave.

After hearing both the parties, Justice Bahl observed that as per the facts on record, only a notice under Section160 CrPc has been issued to the petitioner for appearance before the NIA. “This court cannot possibly enter into the realm of conjectures and surmises and foresee by guesswork as to what would be the further course adopted by the investigating agency. At one stage, learned counsel for the petitioner was wanting that the counsel for NIA should disclose as to whether they wish to arrest the petitioner or not… Moreover, the offences alleged to have been committed in the present case are very serious and thus, NIA is to be given a free hand to investigate, so that all the culprits can be brought to book and all the material which is necessary can be collected. The NIA informed that the main accused who has been arrested with Rs 29 lakh in his possession is in fact an over ground worker of banned terrorist organization Hizb-Ul-Mujahideen (HM),” observed the court.

Service providers can now see vax status

Service providers can now see vax status

21.11.2021

The union health ministry has activated a service on the CoWin portal that allows anyone to check an individual’s vaccination status with the person’s registered mobile number and name, followed by an OTP for consent.

The service could be utilised by a service provider — such as travel agencies, offices, employers, entertainment agencies or government agencies such as IRCTC — for whom verifying a person’s vaccination status is critical for facilitating a service requested by the citizen, an official said. “Now download the fully/partially vaccinated badge from CoWin & share it with your friends on all your social platforms! Encourage your family and friends to follow you and #FightCovid,” national health authority CEO RS Sharma tweeted. The service is being built to help citizens who may not have the vaccine certificate available in digital or paper form for availing a requested service and can support the service provider to verify the vaccination status of the citizen. PTI

No SMS or OTP, yet over ₹1L vanishes from bank account

No SMS or OTP, yet over ₹1L vanishes from bank account

Vadodara:  21.11.2021

A principal of a fire academy living in Godhra lost Rs 1.2 lakh from his bank account last month to cyber fraudsters.

The victim, Rohit Patel, who has an account in a private bank’s branch in Udalpur village of Desar taluka, lodged a complaint of cheating under the Information Technology Act on Friday at Desar police station.

Patel said that when he opened the mini-statement of his bank account on October 11, he found that Rs 1.2 lakh had been withdrawn from his account. Patel checked his bank balance as he had to transfer money to someone. Between October 6 and 11, money was transferred from his bank account to different accounts in four different banks. TNN

Airport queue time same as flight duration

Airport queue time same as flight duration

Niyati.Parikh@timesgroup.com

Ahmedabad:  21.11.2021

Soon after the Diwali holidays, when Anuj Pathak, the owner of a citybased travel company, left for a holiday from the city airport, it took him an hour and a half to wade through the rush from the check-in counter to the boarding gate. “Fortunately, I had reached the airport two hours before or I would have missed my flight. The baggage conveyor belt at the check-in counter had malfunctioned, due to which the queue was very long,” Pathak said.

Amid the festive and wedding season, as travel has revived and flights are allowed to operate at 100% capacity, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International (SVPI) airport has been witnessing an unprecedented rush of fliers, especially during peak hours. At least 14,000 passengers transit through the airport every a day, according to airport sources. However, with multiple checkpoints and the rush, passengers say the time taken to get to the boarding gate is going up.

“Getting through the airport during peak hours was a nightmare. There is a queue at every check point right from entering the airport, to getting baggage screened to check-in and baggage drop counters to e-gates and security check. Even though we opted for priority check-in, it took us at least 45 minutes to reach the boarding gate. Perhaps increasing the number of check-in counters will help,” said Shalin Shah, who travelled from the city airport with his family for a vacation recently.

Besides the delay in getting through the crowd, long waiting times at the arrivals area is also a concern. “The parking and pick-up and drop area is very crowded at SVPI, leading a lot of chaos while exiting. It takes long for cabs or even private vehicles to enter the arrivals area because of the unmanaged rush,” said Monica Yadav, a city-based entrepreneur who is a frequent flier.

An email query sent to the city airport operator, asking about measures in place to manage the rush, went unanswered. Airport sources said some four e-gates have been installed after the check-in and baggage drop counters to speed up the security check process.

Passengers have also complained of not enough seating. Against footfalls of 14,000 passengers a day, the domestic terminal of the city airport has barely 560 seats in the security hold area for passengers to sit, a source said.

Passengers waiting for flights at SVPI

Ways to prepare your children for Covid exposure at school

Ways to prepare your children for Covid exposure at school

21.11.2021

Devising contingency plans for what they should do if they, or their friends, are exposed to the coronavirus can help reassure them

Now that some kids are back in the classroom, there’s a very real possibility that they may be exposed to the coronavirus and may need to be tested — or to isolate — which can be alarming.

One of the best things you can do to prepare your child, no matter their age, is to explain that there are plans in place should someone be exposed. Here are six things you can do to help.

Clear up misinformation

First, ask children what they already know about the pandemic and the rules that the school has in place for keeping them safe, said Dr Anna Miller-Fitzwater, a clinical associate professor of paediatrics at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine, US. If your own understanding of the school’s policy is different from how your child is explaining it, you might want to clarify with the school — and if there is misinformation floating around, correct it.

Devise a Plan B

If you have a young child who needs to isolate at home, figure out how you will handle it. Can you work remotely? Do you have a friend, family member or babysitter who can pitch in at the last minute and is comfortable with Covid safety protocols? Reviewing these plans with your child may help them feel secure.

Acknowledge their feelings

Children can react in a variety of ways when they come into close contact with someone who has tested positive. “Some may feel really anxious and worried, some may feel really angry with the person they think exposed them,” said Louise Dalton, a consultant clinical psychologist at the University of Oxford department of psychiatry.

Parents should “validate and normalise their child’s response”, said Michiganbased psychologist Melissa Cousino. “I often say, ‘This worry that you are feeling or this anger, it’s a normal response to the abnormal’,” she said.

Recognise frustrations

Some teenagers may feel angry and resentful if a potential third wave hits and they are forced to stay home, isolate or get tested. Talk this through in advance, pointing out that even if they’re super careful, there are going to be cases. Tell them that the only thing to do is to play by the rules.

Also understand what is most upsetting for them, and if possible, work with the school to recover the opportunity. “It may not be the worry of getting sick, it may be the worry of missing tryouts for that sports team,” said Cousino.

Don’t play the blame game

Children who test positive may end up blaming themselves or blaming other people. “Avoid language that leaves a stigma,” Miller-Fitzwater said. “Make sure they understand this wasn’t someone else’s intention.”

Maintain routines

When school is interrupted, it’s important to keep bedtimes and meal times consistent and to schedule regular exercise. Making things as predictable as possible will reassure kids and help them prepare to transition back to school. Also, ask teachers about what work needs to be accomplished while the child is out, Miller-Fitzwater said.

— THE NEW YORK TIMES

What you can do to ease your lower back pain

What you can do to ease your lower back pain

21.11.2021  TOI     

Try to incorporate a good daily stretch into your morning routine. Just a few minutes of manipulating the joints you use the most, such as your back, knees, hips and elbows, “will warm them up for the day ahead and help protect against injury”, says UK-based rheumatologist Dr Rod Hughes.

If you work on a computer, ensure your chair is the right height for your feet to be firmly on the ground and your elbows to be at a 90-degree angle.

Remember to take time throughout the day to move around, to ensure your joints feel mobile. “Just like the rest of you, your back muscles tense up when you start to feel you are under pressure. That uncomfortable twinge can lead to us feeling even more fraught — and a vicious cycle forms,” says Dr Hughes.

Whenever you feel stressed, consider clearing your mind with a short walk or getting some fresh air.

—DAILY MIRROR

‘Dead’ man, returns to life in mortuary after 7 hours

‘Dead’ man, returns to life in mortuary after 7 hours

Kanwardeep.Singh@timesgroup.com

Bareilly: 21.11.2021

Seven hours after being kept in mortuary freezer, a 40-year-old man came out alive, confounding medical staff in UP’s Moradabad.

Sreekesh Kumar, an electrician, was hit by a speeding motorbike following which he was taken to thedistrict hospital on Thursday night. The doctors had declared him dead. Next, the hospital staff put the body in the freezer. Post-mortem was scheduled for the next day.

Nearly seven hours later, when panchnama — a document signed by family members after identifying the body and agreeing to an autopsy — was to be filed by the police, Kumar's sister-in-law Madhu Bala noticed that he was showing signs of movement. In a video that went viral, Bala can be heard exclaiming, “He's not at all dead. How did this happen? Look, he wants to say something, he is breathing.”

Moradabad’s chief medical superintendent Dr Shiv Singh, said: “The emergency medical officer had seen the patient at 3am and there was no heartbeat. He had examined the man multiple times. Therefore he was declared dead. In the morning, a police team and his family found him alive. A probe has been ordered. Our priorityis to save his life.”