Delhi underground

Talking point

One common point for all politicians is that they love to talk. Just how much was revealed at this week’s meeting of the Municipal Corporation of the Delhi (MCD) when,due to a technical glitch,all microphones in the 300-seater meeting hall were switched on at the same time. The meeting could not proceed as a commotion ensued,with every councillor trying to get their message across without waiting for their turn. In the end,when Additional Commissioner (Engineering) got up to speak,leaders of both BJP and Congress in the MCD had to climb on to their seats and request the councillors to shut up. Also,clear instructions were issued to fix the microphones as soon as possible.

One too few

The Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (OC) is being depleted of employees with each passing day,not only because they are being relieved of their duties,but also due to the numerous CBI arrests. With the latest arrest of K U K Reddy,ADG (Finance and Accounts),the OC had a problem organising its last Payment Review Committee meeting,of which Reddy was the convenor. At the last moment,the OC had to include another member in the committee to complete the quorum. While Reddy was sacked a day after the arrest,both Suresh Kalmadi and Lalit Bhanot are on the payrolls of the OC.

Receiving end

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati’s visit to Noida and Ghaziabad last week has left many a ripple in the wake. As soon as the CM reached Lucknow,a list of transferred police officers was sent to the districts. The list included the SSP of Gautam Budh Nagar,SP (City),SP (Rural) and two circle officers in Noida. Ghaziabad’s SP (City),SP (Rural) and SP (Crime) were also shunted out. The transfers have left the police fuming,who they believe the force is always made the scapegoat whenever anything goes wrong anywhere. “The CM visited the hospitals and other departments as well,but no one was affected there. It is only us who face the brunt of her ire,” a police officer said.

Officious duty

The Delhi Police’s decision to station several tourist police vans round the clock in the city to “guide guests around” seems to have annoyed some senior police officers in the Operations department. One such officer,while conducting a routine check on a van stationed at the India Gate,was heard telling his deputy: “I don’t think any tourist in his/her right mind would come asking the tourist van for directions to Connaught Place at four in the morning! I don’t think there is any need for them to be stationed round the clock.”

Jailhouse rocky

A defence counsel recently found himself running short of arguments before a city judge. When the counsel demanded special medical facilities and home-cooked food for his client,who is behind bars,the judge asked him the reason,since the undertrial had no medical history. “His health deteriorated since he was arrested,” said the lawyer. “A person is hale and hearty till he meets a police officer. Soon after,he develops a series of multiple medical problems,” the judge told the counsel and the investigative officer,leaving everyone in the courtroom in splits.

Trumped up

A city court judge was recently left wondering when officials of the Delhi Police claimed to have recovered the articles that were not even listed as stolen by the complainant in a theft case. Opposing the bail plea of a woman accused of stealing from her employer’s house,Mianwali Nagar police officers claimed they had recovered a DVD player and speakers from her possession,proving the crime. Additional Sessions Judge M R Sethi,however,noted that the complainant had not mentioned these articles as stolen. ASJ Sethi said he was “left guessing” as to how the police had recovered items that were not even stolen,and decided to grant the accused bail.