Chop hands of forgers, says HC judge

CHENNAI: It is unfortunate that the country does not have laws to chop off hands and fingers of fraudsters who forge property documents, the Madras high court lamented on Thursday. Justice S Vaidhyanathan, refusing to order release of property documents registered on the basis of forged papers, also imposed a fine of 1 lakh on the person who committed the fraud.

"In Islamic countries, horrifying punishment of cutting hands and chopping off fingers for even petty thefts is implemented. I came across an article that said Iran has unveiled its latest innovation in criminal punishment - a machine that cuts off fingers of thieves. It is being used for cutting off the fingers of culprits by a court in Shiraz. For forgery, this court is of the view that such a stringent punishment of chopping off fingers should be awarded to the petitioner," the judge said.

"Unfortunately, in our country there is no stringent law to cut off the hands of persons who indulge in fabricating documents. If laws are rigid and deterrent, criminals will not dare to indulge in illegal activities like the case on hand, wherein officials of a sub-registrar office were hand in glove with criminals to help them usurp and loot the properties of innocents," he said.

Citing the Quran, the judge said theft was 'haraam'. "The Prophet cursed the thief because he is a corrupt element in society, and if he is left unpunished, his corruption will spread and infect the body of the ummah (nation)," he said.

The matter relates to a petition filed by P M Elavarasan, seeking to direct the Saidapet district registrar and Virugambakkam sub-registrar to assign a registration number to his property and release the documents. The authorities withheld the documents after realising that the property belonged to V V V Nachiappan's family and the land documents had been forged by Elavarasan. His counsel, however, argued that the registering authorities did not have the power to probe ownership and title of the property and that they are obliged to return registered documents.

Justice Vaidhyanathan, rejecting the demand, said it was a clear attempt to grab land and expressed shock that such fraud took place with the connivance of officials in the registration department. Upholding the decision to withhold the documents, the judge said Elavarasan had the temerity to approach the court for a favourable order despite having perpetrated forgery and fraud. The court then imposed 1 lakh cost on Elavarasan and directed him to pay 25,000 each to four service organisations, including the Adyar Cancer Institute, within a month.

Noting that the court could not remain a silent spectator, the judge said it would deal with such people with an iron hand. He then expressed hope that authorities and the court concerned would initiate criminal proceedings against Elavarasan for his illegal activities and award maximum sentence after a speedy trial.
Courtesy:
A Subramani,TNN | Jul 11, 2014, 12.45 AM IST
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/City/Chennai/Chop-hands-of-forgers-says-HC-judge/articleshow/38155113.cms

देश भर में पसरा चिटफंड की ठगी का काला कारोबार

शारदा समूह द्वारा किये गये 20000 करोड़ रुपये के घोटाले में धोखाधड़ी के लिए सिर्फ वित्तीय नियामकों को दोषी नहीं माना जा सकता। वर्तमान समय में देश में अनेकानेक गैर-बैंकिंग वित्तीय कंपनियाँ काम कर रही हैं, जिनमें से अधिकांश चिट-फंड का धंधा करती हैं और हालिया समय में उनपर निगरानी रखने में हमारी वित्तीय नियामक संस्थाएँ पूरी तरह असफल रही हैं।

जाहिरा तौर पर इस तरह की ठगी, सरकार की क्षमता एवं काबिलियत पर प्रश्नचिन्ह खड़ा करती हैं। इस सिक्के का दूसरा पहलू भी पूरी तरह से पाक-साफ नहीं है। दूसरे शब्दों में कहा जाये तो इस खेल में निवेशक भी उतने ही दोषी हैं, जितने कंपनियों के प्रर्वत्तक या मालिक। यह खेल सदियों से चल रहा है।आगे भी चलता रहेगा, क्योंकि हमारे देश में लालच का कोई इलाज नहीं है। वैसे इस बाबत लालच के साथ-साथ अषिक्षा, गरीबी, अंधविश्वास , भ्रष्टाचार आदि को भी महत्वपूर्ण कारण माना जा सकता है।

पड़ताल से जाहिर है शिक्षित एवं समझदार लोग कम ही इस तरह की कंपनियों के झांसे में आते हैं। अमूमन छोटे-मोटे स्तर पर कारोबार करने वाले या रिक्षा-ठेला चलाने वाले या फिर असंगठित क्षेत्र में दिहाड़ी मजदूरी करने वाले जैसे लोग चिट-फंड चलाने वाली इस तरह की कंपनियों के एजेंटों के बहकावे में आकर या अधिक ब्याज के लालच में या फिर पैसों के दुगना होने के लालच में अपनी जिंदगी भर की कमाई एक झटके में लुटा देते हैं।

इस ठगी के खेल में परोक्ष रुप में बहुत सारे ऐसे लोग भी शामिल रहते हैं, जिन पर कभी कोई कार्रवाई नहीं की जाती है। ऐसे लोगों को लगता है कि उनका इस तरह की धोखाधड़ी से कोई सरोकार नहीं है।

इसके बरक्स बता दें कि चिट-फंड का करोबार करने वाली तकरीबन सभी कंपनियाँ आम आदमी को बेवकूफ बनाने के लिए विज्ञापन का सहारा लेती हैं। विज्ञापन का प्रकाशन-प्रसारण प्रिंट एवं इलेक्ट्रॉनिक मीडिया के द्वारा होता है। इसमें श्रव्य माध्यम अर्थात रेडियो भी शामिल है।

नई जमाने की मीडिया यानि इंटरनेट भी इस मामले में अपनी महत्ती भूमिका निभा रहा है। यहाँ इस सवाल का उठना लाजिमी है कि क्या हम जान-बूझकर केवल अपने व्यवसायिक लाभ के लिए ठगी के कारोबार को बढ़ावा दे रहे हैं?

शारदा समूह के मामले में कंपनी के पर्वत्तकों ने बड़ी चालाकी से पूरी तैयारी के साथ आम लोगों को चूना लगाने का काम किया है। इनका ठगी का काला कारोबार विगत दो दशकों से पश्चिम बंगाल के साथ-साथ देश के कुछ दूसरे राज्यों में बेधड़क चल रहा था।

बीते तीन सालों से शारदा समूह का नाम सुर्खियों में था। इन वर्षों में इस समूह का कमोबेश पूरे देश बहुत तेजी से विस्तार हुआ। इतना ही नहीं सत्ता के गलियारों में भी इनकी धमक सुनाई देने लगी।

कंपनी के प्रमुख प्रर्वत्तकों यथा देबजानी मुखोपाध्याय, अरविंद सिंह, श्री सुदीप्तो सेन आदि में से शारदा समूह के चेयरमैन सुदीप्तो सेन अपने को महान धर्मगुरु राम कृष्ण परमहंस की पत्नी शारदा मणि मुखोपाध्याय का पुत्र बताते हैं। श्री सेन ने उनके नाम पर ही अपनी सभी कंपनियों का आरंभिक नाम शारदा और समूह का नाम शारदा समूह रखा। श्री सेन अच्छी तरह से जानते थे कि अनपढ़, गरीब एवं धर्मभीरु लोग माँ शारदा के नाम की वजह से स्वभाविक रुप से उनकी कंपनी में अपना पैसा निवेश करेंगे। शारदा नाम के साथ विष्वासघात करने से वे अपने इरादे में बहुत हद तक कामयाब भी रहे।

कालांतर में जैसे ही षारदा समूह के पास पूँजी इकट्ठाहुई,श्री सेन एवं उनके सहयोगी बांग्ला एवं अन्य क्षेत्रीय भाषाओं की फिल्मों को फाइनेंस करने लगे, जिससे उनकी पैठ फिल्मी कलाकारों के बीच हो गई। अखबार एवं टेलीविजन चैनलों पर वे फिल्मी कलाकारों के साथ आने लगे। फिल्म के प्रमोशन के लिए समूह के प्रर्वत्तक फिल्मी कलाकारों के साथ राज्य के हर कस्बा एवं तहसील का दौरा करते थे। इस वजह से शारदा समूह के ब्रांड वैल्यू में जबर्दस्त इजाफा हुआ। विदित हो कि आम लोगों के बीच फिल्मीकलाकारों की गतिविधियों का असर उनके जीवन में बहुत ही व्यापक होता है। वे अक्सर दैनिक क्रियाकलापों में उनकी नकल करते हैं।

अपने इस बिजनेस को आगे बढ़ाने एवं उसपर सच्चाई तथा विष्वास का मुल्लमा चढ़ाने के लिए शारदा समूह के प्रर्वत्तकों ने नेताओं, पत्रकारों, वकीलों, जजों एवं प्रशासन के नुमाइंदों से अपनी नजदीकियाँ बढ़ाई।

श्री सेन द्वारा सीबीआई को सौंपी गई 18 पन्नों के पत्र के मुताबिक तृणमूल के दो सांसद,असम सरकार के एक मंत्री, नरसिंहराव सरकार में मंत्री रहे मतंग सिंह, उनकी पत्नी मनोरंजना सिंह, चिदंबरम साहब की पत्नी नलिनी चिंदबरम आदि का संबंध किसी न किसी रुप में शारदा समूह के साथ रहा है।इस ठगी कांड में जिस तरह से रोज नया षगूफा छोड़ा जा रहा है, उससे लगता है कि यह आग इतनी जल्दी बुझने वाला नहीं है। मामले में नलिनी चिदंबरम का नाम उछलने से कहानी में सियासी रंग चढ़ने लगा है।

कहा जा रहा है कि सिर्फ पष्चिम बंगाल के 19 जिलों में इस समूह के एक लाख से ज्यादा एजेंट 368 शाखाओं के माध्यम से लोगों को मूर्ख बनाने के काम को बखूबी अंजाम दे रहे थे।

शारदा समूह का विस्तार केवल पश्चिम बंगाल तक ही सीमित नहीं है, वरन् इसके एजेंट उड़ीसा, झारखंड, असम, कर्नाटक, राजस्थान, तामिलनाडु आदि राज्यों में भी सक्रिय थे। इन राज्यों में 165 वैसी कंपनियाँ, जिसका नाम शारदा से शुरु होता है, कार्य कर कर रही थीं। गौरतलब है कि ये कंपनियाँ भी चिट-फंड का ही काम कर रही थीं।इनके एजेंट साइबर संसार के जरिये भी लोगों को अपने जाल में फंसाते थे।

इसमें दो मत नहीं है कि पहले की तरह इस मामले में भी भारतीय प्रतिभूति और विनिमय बोर्ड (सेबी) अपना काम करने में असफल रहा है।

शारदा समूह में व्याप्त अनियमितता एवं उसके द्वारा की गई ठगी के परिप्रेक्ष्य में भारतीय रिजर्व बैंक, प्रवर्तन निदेशालय, आयकर विभाग आदि एजेंसियों को भी क्लीन चिट नहीं दिया जा सकता है। पुनश्च इस आलोक में यह भी सच है कि इस तरह की धोखाधड़ी के मामलों में अभी भी हमारे देश में स्पष्ट कानून का अभाव है, जिसके कारण अक्सर दोषी सजा पाने से बच जाते हैं।

पश्चिम बंगाल की सरकार ने शारदा चिट-फंड घोटाले की जाँच एसआईटी से करवाने का फैसला लिया है। वैसे जाँच के निहितार्थ से सभी अवगत हैं। पूरा एपिसोड चाहे जितना नकारात्मक हो, इस संबंध में एक सकारात्मक बात यह है कि इस ठगी ने लोगों के बीच जनजागरण करने का काम किया है। सरकार भी इस तरह की कंपनियों के खिलाफ कार्रवाई करने के प्रति थोड़ी गंभीर हुई है। सरकारी एजेंसी गंभीर धोखाधड़ी जाँच कार्यालय (एसएफआईओ) ने चिट-फंड की 57 कंपनियों के विरुद्ध जाँच करने का फैसला किया है।

देखा गया है कि विगत सालों में चिट-फंड कंपनियों ने आर्थिक, शैक्षिक एवं सामाजिक रुप से पिछड़े पूर्वोत्तर राज्यों को अपना निशाना बनाया है। इसलिए पूर्वोत्तर राज्यों के प्रमुखों ने चिट-फंड कंपनियों पर शिकंजा कसने के लिए केन्द्र सरकार एवं वित्तीय नियामक एजेंसियों से इस बाबत सख्त कदम उठाने का अनुरोध किया है।

बिहार के उप मुख्यमंत्री सुषील कुमार मोदी ने भी हाल ही में सेबी के प्रमुख यू.के.सिन्हा से मिलकर बिहार में फर्जी तरीके से कार्य करने वाले गैर बैंकिंग वित्तीय कंपनियों के खिलाफ कड़ी कार्रवाई करने का अनुरोध किया है। इसी क्रम में पश्चिम बंगाल की सरकार ने विशेष सत्र बुलाकर निवेशकों की रक्षा के लिए ‘पश्चिम बंगाल वित्तीय संस्था में जमाकर्त्ता का हित संरक्षण विधेयक, 2013’ पास करवाने का फैसला लिया है।

मौजूदा समय में गैर-बैंकिंग वित्तीय कंपनी के नाम पर चिट-फंड का धंधा करने वाली कंपनियों की संख्या में तेजी से इजाफा हुआ है, जिसमें से अधिकांष कंपनियाँ पंजीकृत नहीं हैं। पंजीकरण के अभाव में इस तरह की कंपनियों के खिलाफ कार्रवाई करने में पुलिस एवं कानून को अक्सर मुश्किल का सामना करना पड़ता है।

इस संबंध में ध्यान देने योग्य बात यह भी है कि अधिकांश चिट-फंड कंपनियों का ठगी का तरीका शारदा समूह की तर्ज पर है, जिसपर लगाम लगाना विविध वित्तीय नियामक संस्थानों एवं सरकार के लिए किसी चुनौती से कम नहीं है।

जानकारों के अनुसार इस तरह की कंपनियों पर तभी नकेल कसा जा सकता है, जब हमारे देष में आर्थिक अपराध को गंभीर अपराध की श्रेणी में रखा जाये। इस संदर्भ में सबसे अहम पहलू यह है कि इस तरह से ठगी के षिकार लोगों का आमतौर पर पैसा वापस नहीं मिलता है।

कानून में व्याप्त कमियों/खामियों की वजह से हमारे देष में धोखाधड़ी करने वाले लोग आसानी से कानून के शिकंजे से बाहर निकल जाते हैं, जबकि ठगी का शिकार हुए कुछ लोग आर्थिक तंगी की वजह से आत्महत्या तक करने पर मजबूर हो जाते हैं। बावजूद इसके असल दोषियों के खिलाफ कभी भी हत्या का मुकदमा नहीं चलाया जाता।
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CBI and ED join forces to nail chit-fund scammers who prey on innocent investors

After recording the statements of various high-profile individuals, the Enforcement Directorate is likely to file its first charge-sheet in the Saradha chit fund scam by July.

Besides filing a case under the PMLA in the scam, the ED has also attached assets worth Rs 140 crore belonging to individuals and firms on money laundering charges in this case.

Tackling economic offences has become the top priority of investigating agencies like the CBI and ED. The best investigators with skills to crack fraudulent schemes like the Saradha chit fund and the National Spot Exchange Limited case are on the job.

Following the Supreme Court directed the CBI to investigate the Saradha case, it has decided to set up a Special Investigation Team to probe the scam involving an estimated Rs 10,000 crore amassed by duping thousands of investors.

While Saradha is a classic example of a ponzi scheme following a multi-level marketing model, the NSEL scam has exposed the shortcomings in the regulatory framework as most of the commodities marketed by it never existed.

More than 15,000 private investors and some public sector undertakings were duped. There was also the Sahara case where market regulator SEBI alleged that the group cheated its investors.

The matter reached the SC and Subrata Roy, the chairman of the group, is in Tahir Jail for more than two months. Another scam which was being run like a ponzi and is being investigated by the CBI is the case involving the Pearls group, in which Rs 45,000 crore was swindled out and nearly 5 crore people were cheated.

The disturbing trend of such schemes directed at cheating investors shook the government, and more powers have been given to market regulator SEBI.

The Securities Laws (Amendment) ordinance covering the functioning of SEBI has been brought in to combat the menace of ponzi schemes.

The body has been given the power to regulate money pooling schemes worth Rs 100 crore or more - a common modus operandi for ponzi schemes.

The arrest of Jignesh Shah, Chairman and CEO of Financial Technologies in the Rs 5,600 crore National Spot Exchange Ltd (NSEL) scam on May 7, brings to the fore the gaping holes in India's regulatory framework for exchanges which encourage wily entrepreneurs to float companies that defraud unwitting customers.

It also calls for better regulatory oversight and according more teeth to the commodities regulator, the Forward Markets Commission (FMC).

At the heart of the NSEL fiasco was a practice at the exchange, where members were allowed to take long term forward contracts in commodities such as oilseeds, cereals and pulses, although the exchange was allowed to handle only spot contracts, similar to mandis where buyers and sellers exchange goods for money.

Taking advantage of a 2007 Ministry of Company Affairs (MCA) guideline that gave a conditional exemption to spot exchanges to offer one day forward contracts, NSEL conducted trading in forward contracts such as T+2 (trade plus two days) and T+25, where an investor, through their brokers such as Motilal Oswal Securities bought and sold goods, without any underlying securities.

They entered into contracts to buy commodities from "borrowers" such as N.K. Proteins and Mohan India. The T+2 contract enabled them to pay for the commodities two days later. At the same time, they entered into contracts with the same borrowers to sell the commodities after 25 days through a T+25 scheme. There would be an assured, annualised return of 13.5 per cent in this transaction.

"The process offered more liquidity than investing in bonds on fixed deposits, since the trader could avail the money at more frequent intervals," says Ketan Shah, one of the 13,000 investors who lost the money.

Investors were happy with their guaranteed returns until July, when the borrowers could no longer pay off the investors and government investigations revealed illegal and fraudulent trade. In July 2013, MCA stepped in, asking NSEL not to launch new contracts and settle the existing ones.

In October FMC wrote to NSEL, accusing its promoters and directors of complicity in cheating investors, a move that triggered the fall of the exchange and its promoter. FMC has all the while maintained that NSEL came outside its regulatory purview.

How the scam worked
But it did point out two of its reservations. First, NSEL permitted trading members to sell on their platform without confirming that they had goods in their possession, which amounted to a short sale.

Second, FMC disagreed with the contract duration of over 11 days in a spot exchange.

But the question here is, if the FMC felt it did not have the mandate to regulate NSEL, why didn't it seek explanations on the matter much earlier?

Investors say that timely action from the government would have saved many of them. They attribute the delayed action to Jignesh Shah's proximity to the who's who in the corridors of power. Other experts such as Jaimini Bhagwati, RBI Chair Professor at Icrier, says that the Sebi Act needs to be amended to include spot and futures trading in all commodities squarely and firmly within the capital market regulator's remit.

Also, the FMC should be absorbed within Sebi, he says. Meanwhile, the Forward Markets Regulation Bill, which seeks to amend the Forward Contracts (Regulation) Act, 1952, is awaiting Parliament's nod.

It will give more powers to the FMC, and open the door for introduction of new products like options and indices trading in the commodities futures market.

The NSEL scam calls for greater co-ordination among government departments, regulators and exchanges to plug regulatory loopholes, involving even brokerage firms. Meanwhile, the Economic Offences Wing of the Mumbai Police feels they have a water-tight case against him.

Investors want court to monitor CBI probe
By Soudhriti Bhabani in Kolkata
With the Supreme Court verdict asking the CBI to probe into the multi-crore Saradha chit fund scam, investors who had been cheated by the ponzi schemes now wanted a court-monitored CBI probe in the issue.

Chit fund Sufferers' Unity Forum (CSUF), an umbrella organisation protesting and safeguarding interests of the duped investors, demanded a court-monitored investigation in Saradha Group chit fund scam as it involved many high profile names, some of them from the state's ruling Trinamool Congress.

"We want the apex court to monitor the whole process of investigation. Also, we have decided to prepare a list of other chit fund companies that are operating across West Bengal. We will also include their volume of assets whatever information we can collect from our sources and will hand it over to the federal investigating agency," said Ashim Chatterjee, convenor of CSUF.

He said there are nearly 1,500 such shell companies are still operating in the rural outskirts of Bengal collecting small-saving deposits, mostly from the marginalised sections. He said that CSUF had already written to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee highlighting the point and requested her to implement it for all the chit fund entities active across the state.

"The CM has turned our appeal in deaf ears. We sought an appointment to share our point of view with her on the matter but we were denied any time for the meeting," Chatterjee said.

The Sudipta Sen-led chit fund company Saradha Group had decamped with several thousands crores of small-savings deposits from investors by making false claims of their proposed ventures in an attempt to amass more money from the market.

It was revealed that the chit fund group had made false announcements to set up shopping malls at Madhyamgram in North 24 Parganas, Contai in East Midnapore and Bishnupur near Joka in South 24 Parganas and luxury apartments almost in every West Bengal district and a five-star hotel without mentioning any particular location and other details of the plot and proposed investments.
Courtesy:
By M.g. Arun
Published: 21:47 GMT, 11 May 2014 | Updated: 21:47 GMT, 11 May 2014
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/indiahome/indianews/article-2625739/CBI-ED-join-forces-nail-chit-fund-scammers-prey-innocent-investors.html

जेल में बंद पूर्व मंत्री सुरेश दादा जैन ने की जमानत की मांग

जलगांव आवासीय घोटाला मामले में गिरफ्तार महाराष्ट्र के पूर्व आवास मंत्री सुरेश दादा जैन (71) ने सेहत और दया की बुनियाद पर जमानत की मांग करते हुए बॉम्बे हाई कोर्ट में याचिका दायर की है।

कोर्ट के सूत्रों ने कहा कि यह याचिका सुनवाई के लिए सूचीबद्ध होगी। जैन ने अपनी याचिका में गुहार लगाई है कि वह 27 महीनों से जेल में बंद हैं, इस दौरान उनकी बाइपास सर्जरी हुई। उन्होंने कहा कि उनकी सेहत काफी खराब हो गई है और मधुमेह तथा अधिक उम्र होने के कारण कई दूसरी जटिलता पैदा हो गई हैं।

वह करीब तीन दशकों से अधिक समय तक विधानसभा के सदस्य रहे हैं और फिलहाल शिवसेना के विधायक हैं। जैन ने कहा कि वह बड़ी राजनीतिक साजिश तथा अपने विरोधियों की ओर से की गई बदले की कार्रवाई के शिकार हुए हैं। उन्होंने आरोप लगाया कि जलगांव आवासीय घोटाले में उन्हें फंसाया गया है।

जैन को 11 मार्च, 2012 को गिरफ्तार किया गया था। उन्होंने कहा कि इस मामले में आरोप पत्र पहले ही दाखिल हो चुका है और जांच चल रही है। सुनवाई अदालत ने आरोप तय कर दिए। उन्होंने सुप्रीम कोर्ट के दिशानिर्देश का हवाला दिया, जिसके मुताबिक भ्रष्टाचार निरोधक कानून के तहत नौकरशाहों (विधायक एवं मंत्रियों) के खिलाफ मामला एक साल के भीतर पूरा होना चाहिए।
साभार
Jul 7, 2014, 08.30AM IST, भाषा, मुंबई
http://navbharattimes.indiatimes.com/metro/mumbai/other-news/Jailed-former-minister-Suresh-Dada-Jain-seeking-bail/articleshow/37918002.cms

मुंबई में रिक्शा-टैक्सी चालकों की ठगी - टर्मिनल टू में प्रवेश के लिए अवैध एंट्री फीस!

मुंबई के नवनिर्मित इंटरनैशनल टर्मिनल से कार्य संचालन को लगभग 4 महीने पूरे हो चुके हैं। इसके बावजूद भी हवाई यात्रियों में टर्मिनल पर पहुंचने को लेकर कई संशय बरकरार हैं। इसका सीधा फायदा इस मार्ग पर ऑटो-टैक्सी चलाने वालों को मिल रहा है। अधिक पैसा बनाने के चक्कर में इन्होंने टर्मिनल एंट्री फीस का एक नया शिगूफा छोड़ा है। मीटर से भाड़ा वसूल करने का आश्वासन देने के बाद ऑटो चालक यात्रियों को टर्मिनल पर लाते हैं और डिपार्चर लेवल पर जाने के लिए अलग से पैसों की मांग करते हैं। बीते 3 महीनों से कई हवाई यात्री इस बाबत एनबीटी को अवगत करवा चुके हैं।

गौरतलब है कि यह टर्मिनल 4 लेवल में बंटा हुआ हैं, यात्रियों को डिपार्चर के लिए सीधे लेवल 4 पर आना होता है, जिस पर आप सहार एलिवेटेड रोड से होकर आ सकते हैं, लेकिन यदि आप ऑटो रिक्शा से सफर कर रहे हैं, तो आपको सहार रोड से आना होगा।

यहां आने के बाद ऑटो चालक यात्रियों से 50 से 100 रुपये तक अतिरिक्त मांगते हैं, और टर्मिनल की एंट्री फीस का हवाला देते हैं। उनका कहना है कि उनसे यह चार्ज एयरपोर्ट अथॉरिटी ले रही है, इसके पीछे एयरपोर्ट अथॉरिटी का उद्देश्य अवांछित तत्वों के प्रवेश को रोकना हैं। जबकि वास्तविकता यह है कि एयरपोर्ट अथॉरिटी एंट्री फीस के नाम पर कुछ भी चार्ज नहीं करती।

सूत्रों के मुताबिक यात्रियों से यह चार्ज उन्हें अराइवल या डिपार्चर लेवल पर ले जाने के लिए ही लिया जाता है। टर्मिनल से कुछ दूर बने पार्किंग पर रुकने की स्थिति में ऑटो चालक चार्ज नहीं करते। यात्रियों के मुताबिक भारी बैगेज होने के कारण वे झंझट से बचने के लिए 'कुछ' पैसा दे देना ही बेहतर समझते हैं।

बीती एक तारीख को मुझे रात नौ के आस पास अपनी मां को लेने एयरपोर्ट जाना था। अंधेरी से तो ऑटो वाला मीटर से चलने को तैयार था पर आधे रास्ते में उसने मुझसे 120 रुपये की मांग की। वजह पूछने पर उसने एयरपोर्ट एंट्री फीस का हवाला दिया, जब मैंने विरोध किया तो उसने मुझे वही उतारने की धमकी दी।
- निशा सराफ, स्टूडेंट

जून के थर्ड वीक में मैंने अंधेरी से ऑटो लिया, चालक में मुझसे उतरते वक़्त 50 रुपये एक्स्ट्रा मांगे, लेकिन क्योंकि मैं हर दूसरे सप्ताह विदेश जाता रहता हूं, मुझे उसकी चालाकी समझ आ गई और मैंने उसे पुलिस की धमकी दे कर अपना पीछा छुड़ाया।
- अमित झवेरी, व्यवसायी

हमारी तरफ से ऐसा कोई चार्ज नहीं लिया जाता हैं। यदि ऐसा हो रहा है तो बहुत दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण हैं। यात्रियों को आरटीओ और ट्रैफिक पुलिस को इसकी शिकायत करनी चाहिए। ऑटो चालक यात्रियों को बेवजह ठग रहे हैं।
- प्रवक्ता, मुंबई एयरपोर्ट अथॉरिटी

इस तरह का कोई भी चार्ज नहीं है। यदि कोई ऑटो चालक ऐसा कर रहा है, तो बिलकुल गलत है। यात्रियों को इसकी शिकायत करनी चाहिए। उस ऑटो चालक का बैच नंबर और वाहन का नंबर नोट करके शिकायत दर्ज करवानी चाहिए। एनबीटी ने हमें इस बाबत जानकारी दी है और हम अपने स्तर पर भी दोषियों की तलाश करेंगे।
- शशांक राव, उपाध्यक्ष ( मुंबई ऑटोरिक्शा मेंस यूनियन )
साभार
नवभारत टाइम्स | Jul 7, 2014, 03.42AM IST, आशिता दाधीच, मुंबई
http://navbharattimes.indiatimes.com/metro/mumbai/other-news/The-entry-fee-to-enter-the-terminal/articleshow/37918213.cms

Red alert! Redevelopment Greed is making societies neglect maintenance & repair

2 July 2014, Mumbai: The return of monsoons is good news to everybody, but as always, there will be severe casualties in aging and ill-maintained buildings in every metro, including Mumbai. One may safely predict that at least five buildings will collapse in Mumbai alone, especially on the days with the heaviest rains, simply because of the additional weight of several thousand kilograms of absorbed rainwater that the dilapidated structures will have to bear. This weight is unevenly distributed on a weakened RCC structure, causing structural collapse.

The following problems are perennial and systemic:
1)      The buildings of Mumbai and every other metro are aging. Every passing seasonal cycle of summer, monsoon and winter are causing further deterioration in the cement and steel of RCC structures by rusting and cracking. Therefore, every passing year, the load-bearing capacity of the RCC of every building deteriorates by small percentage like 0.2 to 1%.

2)      Older buildings deteriorate at a faster rate e.g. 1% per year. If they are well-maintained, this rate of deterioration may be reduced to 0.5%, effectively increasing its life span by many years.

3)      Unfortunately, many buildings have been made into “sick” buildings over the past decade by short-sighted cooperative societies neglecting them, in the lust for getting them declared as “dilapidated”, so that they go into commercial redevelopment. The load bearing capacity of the RCC of such buildings deteriorates by 5-10%. These buildings are like ticking time-bombs, waiting to collapse.

4)      In the monsoon, the rain-water seeps into the walls and ceilings of such neglected structures, increasing their weight by several thousand kilograms. This additional weight is distributed unevenly on the RCC frame, making it extremely vulnerable to sudden structural failure. These buildings cannot continue to be occupied. Ignoring them is a criminal negligence on the part of the government and municipal corporations.

5)      There is no civic body which has the necessary mandate for vacating and demolishing demolish hundreds or thousands of such critical buildings before they collapse due to “natural causes” in the coming monsoons. If such a body is not created, there is simply no alternative to redevelopment – whether voluntary or foced. These must be demolished and rebuilt under supervision of an empowered government body. Unfortunately, such an empowered body does not exist!

6)      A timetable for performing emergency repairs on thousands of other buildings is a must. These are not yet critical, they will inevitably become critical and dangerous if neglected for another 3-4 years. This must also be done under supervision of an empowered government body.

7)      Unfortunately, it is financially unviable for all the thousands of buildings of Mumbai to be redeveloped and rebuilt simultaneously. Therefore, a priority list will have to be made by the government agency after scrutiny.

8)      Many MLAs, MPs and corporators are builders, or have invested in building industry. These persons are aware of the deterioration, but they are using their knowledge for their own private benefit. The knowledge of these persons must be harnessed for public good. Unfortunately, such politicians are actively preventing any proactive planning from happening, for fear of harming their own interests!

9)      On a conservative estimate, more than 80,000 flats are lying vacant all over Mumbai. They belong to builders, estate agents and investors. Such flats should be requisitioned by the government and municipal corporations, and used for immediately resettling the people living in dangerous buildings.

10)   For all the above-mentioned work, which is urgent, new laws needs to be passed, and a new government agency is required to be constituted under the urban development ministry.

Problems Caused by Redevelopment Greed:
Since redevelopment started in 1991 about two decades ago, and builders could augment the FSI (Floor Space Index) of the land by purchasing TDR (Transfer of Development Rights), cooperative housing societies started neglecting their structures. Seduced by builders who promise larger houses and new buildings, building societies have been keen to steamroll opposition to their redevelopment proposals by individual members by deliberately allowing their building to deteriorate, so that structural auditors can declare them as “dilapidated”.

Earlier, it was a nightmare for a society to be told that its building was structurally unsound, and managing committee members and general body members alike were anxious to avoid it by regular re-plastering, painting and repairing. But in the last two decades, a report from structural engineers saying that the building is “dilapidated” or is in need of “major repairs” has been the dream-come-true of every managing committee, because it legitimizes their quest for redevelopment.

Redevelopment is a gravy-train by which everybody gets to make money, and especially civic authorities who give various building permissions, cooperative department officials, and the managing committees of societies. Many residential buildings aged around 30 and above would have been in a relatively better state, were it not for this lust for redevelopment. Despite a fair number of stalled redevelopment projects, and the opposition by cautious members in every society, the greed-is-good ethos of the majority of members in almost every society ensures that this gravy train is gaining momentum.

Brief overview of Mumbai’s redevelopment over the last two decades: http://tinyurl.com/History-Mumbai-Redevelopment

Over 10 percent of Mumbai’s 30,000-odd society buildings are currently suffering from varying degrees of redevelopment-driven neglect by their managing committees, which collect money for their Repair Fund and Sinking Fund every month, but never spend for repairs and maintenance, Hoping to reap windfall gains from redevelopment, the managing committees favour a dilapidated appearance, which sends a come-hither signal to builders.

Sadly, every such society will not enter into the process of redevelopment swiftly; the overwhelming majority of old buildings will have to wait for many years before their redevelopment happens. Hence, residents are condemned by their greedy and negligent managing committees to live for long in buildings with fast-deteriorating RCC columns, beams and slabs.

In every society, one or two people are fighting a losing battle against this commercially-driven madness. They are seeking better maintenance of their societies.  Most often, their voices are raised only at meetings, and this makes them pariahs. Far from recognizing that their words are in the common interest, a majority of their neighbours consider them mad, and shun them. Their managing committees are quick to paint them as anti-social villains opposed to the prosperity that will be brought about by redevelopment.

One such person is Rohit D’Souza (9819199863, rohitpdsouza@gmail.com), a young sportsman of Mulund. Due to the constant leakage and seepage from the rooftop tank, and the consequent rusting and deterioration of the building structure, Rohit and his neighbours fear for their lives, and have written many letters to their building secretary and to to MCGM’s Ward Officer for T-Ward.  But their letters may as well have been written by residents of thousands of other residents of Mumbai, who are in the same boat: http://tinyurl.com/Please-repair-tank

Numerous societies are in exactly the same boat. Improper structural maintenance by societies due to greed, cost cutting, ignorance, unavailability of skilled labourers, disputes between members etc. is endangering the lives of thousands of families living in Mumbai. The steel in the RCC columns, beams and slabs has rusted and become exposed in many buildings, and Rohit’s building is only a sample of what thousands of buildings are currently looking like. Like Rohit, lakhs of people in Mumbai region are saying, “We are not opposed to redevelopment per se, but we are definitely opposed to the deliberate neglect of our buildings, which is a growing threat to our lives.”

But are the government and municipal authorities listening? And more importantly, are the managing committee members listening?

Or will they, like the Municipal Corporations of Mumbai, Mumbra, Thane etc. wake up only after the building crashes down?
Courtesy:
Issued in Public Interest by
Krish
9821588114
Building.RTI.Union@gmail.com

PS: After reading this, if residents of societies wish to gently start reminding their societies to maintain the building, they may use this word file as a format: http://tinyurl.com/sample-letter-to-society

THE MEGA Rs 23,000 crore 4G SCAM BY the GOVERNMENT AND RELIANCE

AAP alleged another scam
After the 2G spectrum allocation scam during the former UPA government, another major telecom scandal in the allocation of 4G spectrum (Broadband and Wireless Access - BWA) ) has now been exposed in its latest report submitted by the Comptroller & Auditor General (CAG) to the central government.

According to the information available so far, this scam has caused a loss of around Rs 23,000 crore to the public exchequer in the initial estimates and this amount will definitely go up in case a thorough and impartial probe is ordered by the Narendra Modi government.

The Aam Aadmi Party demands that the BJP-led NDA's central  government should  immediately cancel the telecom license and allotment of 4G spectrum given to Reliance Industries and also order a CBI probe for a through criminal investigation into this scam involving Reliance Industries and the UPA government.

If the NDA government delays tabling of the CAG report on the 4G spectrum & BWA allocation scam and does not cancel its allotment, it will become clear that this government also is favouring corporates and allowing them to loot national resources.

The details of this scam are as follows:
The UPA government in March 2013 allowed a back-door entry of Reliance Jio Infocomm into voice telephony in violation of the judgment of the Supreme Court in the 2G case. This was done at the price discovered in 2001 of Rs 1,658 crore for a pan-India licence, which is the same price that was struck down by the Supreme Court in its 2G judgment, because that had caused a huge loss to the public exchequer.

During May-June 2010 the auctions for 3G and 4G were concluded. The 3G auction fetched Rs 16,750.58 crore for 5+5 MHz spectrum in 2100 MHz (or 2.1 GHz) band. Thus, per MHz, the price worked out to be Rs 1,675 crore. Immediately, after the 3G auction, the 4G auction began which fetched Rs 12,847.77 crore for 20 MHz pan-India license in the 2300 MHz (or 2.3 GHz) band. This works out to be Rs 642.39 crore per MHz.

This was so because all documents stated that 4G spectrum was for data services only, whereas 3G spectrum can be used for both data and voice telephony. (All relevant documents - including the CAG report, Reliance Jio Infocomm reply and Department of Telecom response are attached with this press release).

Infotel Broadband Services Pvt Ltd (IBSPL) emerged as the only company to have acquired pan-India 4G spectrum. IBSPL had an internet license since November 2007 and had just one subscriber with revenue of Rs 16.28 lakhs during 2009-10, and its authorized share capital was Rs three crore and the paid up capital was Rs 2.51 crore. Infotel Digicomm Pvt Ltd (IDPL) held 99.99% share of the IBSPL at the time of submission of application in March 2010.

Within hours of completion of 4G auction on 11.06.2010, IBSPL increased the authorised share capital from Rs three crore to Rs 6,000 crore. On 17.06.2010, the company authorized its Board of Directors to allot Rs 475 crore equity share of Rs 10 each to Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) and 25 crore equity share of Rs 10 to Infotech Digicomm Pvt Ltd (IDPL) aggregating to the equity capital of Rs 5,000 crore. On the same day, the company also decided to change from a private company to Public Limited Company (Infotel Broadband Services Ltd). Thus, the company within a week of winning the 4G spectrum disposed off 95% shares to RIL while 5% was retained by IDPL. Much later in March 2013, the company was renamed as Reliance Jio Infocomm Pvt Ltd.

CAG has found that the Government did not protect its interest at the time of framing eligibility criteria for the 4G auction. It allowed participation of internet (ISP) licensees without ensuring adequate safeguards in terms of net-worth of the companies participating in the auction. It found that while a UAS licensee or even a new company without a license was allowed to participate in the 4G auction, but
they had to pass through the test of net-worth in order to become eligible, but no such criteria was specified for the existing internet (ISP) licensees participating in 4G auction. CAG observed that this criterion was important even for ISP-A licensees as they had to participate in the bidding where the reserve price was fixed at Rs 1,750 crore per pan-India license for 20 MHz spectrum in 2.3 GHz band.

The only company which won the pan-India 4G license, was an ISP-A licensee, Infotel Broadband Services Pvt Ltd (IBSPL), a HFCL promoted group company. CAG has stated that IBSPL was given the ISP-A license in November 2007, and it had just one leased-line subscribers as on December 2009 and total revenue of just Rs 16.28 lakh for FY 2009-10. The paid-up capital was just Rs 2.51 crore and 99.99 per cent of it was held by Infotel Digicom Pvt Ltd at the time of submission of application for the 4G auction in March 2010. Thus, this company could not be termed as a serious player. And there were no checks in-built in the auction process to eliminate such non-serious players, CAG has observed.

After the company was taken over Reliance Industries, the government allowed it to provide voice telephony (which was earlier prohibited) without conducting a fresh auction. This was done at the rate of Rs 1,658 crore which was fixed in 2001, and had been struck down by the Supreme Court in the 2G case for causing huge loss to public exchequer. The CAG has now concluded that besides vitiating the auction process, an undue advantage of Rs 22,842 crore was given to RIL at the cost of exchequer. The relevant part of the CAG’s report is reproduced below: -

It was found that the basis of the decision i.e. payment of entry fee of Rs 1,658 crore by ISP licensee for a permission to Pan India provision of mobile voice services using BWA spectrum considered by the DoT Committee, Telecom Commission and the MOC&IT, was primarily intended to fill the gap between the eligibility criterion stipulated for participation in the 3G / BWA auction in 2010 as UAS / CMTS licensees had paid entry fee of Rs 1,658 crore while ISP licensees had paid only Rs 30 lakh.

The DoT Committee, Telecom Commission and the Ministry of communication &IT  however ignored the fact that the quantum of entry fee i.e. Rs 1,658 crore was basically discovered in 2001 through the bidding for the 4th Cellular licenses. Market conditions since then have changed drastically, and this price needed to be modified to reflect the present value.

Neither the DoT Committee / TC under the Chairmanship of the Secretary DoT nor the ministry felt the need for revision of the price discovered in 2001 as the entry fee for UASL in 2013, even when the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India had cancelled 122 licenses granted in 2008 on the basis of the same entry fee stating that it was impossible for them to approve the action of the DoT.

Therefore, by permitting ISPs to provide mobile voice service using BWA spectrum won in 2010 auction post-auction, the government has brought ISP licensees with BWA spectrum at par with UAS / CMTS 3G spectrum winners so far as provision of services are concerned – Voice, Data, etc., and post auction interpretation of such vital nature would appear to be arbitrary, inconsistent and not appropriate.

Hence, IBSPL, now Reliance JioInfocomm, appeared to have been accorded undue advantage of Rs 22,842 crore i.e. the difference of the proportionate prices for 20 MHz block size in 2.1 GHz spectrum band (3G spectrum) and 2.3 GHz spectrum band (BWA spectrum) plus the Net Present Value of the entry fee for UASL at the end of FY 2009-10 (Rs 20,653 crore plus Rs 3,847 crore - Rs 1,658 crore). Besides, the sanctity of the entire auction process has been rendered vitiated due to post auction interpretations and interventions after three years. It was therefore no surprise that Reliance JioInfocomm was among the first group of companies which applied for UL immediately after introduction of the scheme and obtained the Letter of Intent (LoI).

Had the spectrum blocks been specified and declared as liberalised spectrum blocks i.e. open for all technology / services in the NIA in February 2010, there was no doubt that bidders would have taken informed decision for putting up their bid and the market discovered price would have been significantly different for 3G and BWA spectrum.

AAP leader and senior lawyer Prashant Bhushan has filed a PIL in the Supreme Court seeking cancellation of Reliance Industries’ telecom license and a through criminal investigation. Supreme Court had issued notice to the government and Reliance on that petition on 9th May 2014.
Courtesy:
Sent By AAP on Mails Dated 01.07.2014