CHANDIGARH, NOV 19: Ut Additional District and Sessions Judge S.S. Lamba today granted interim bail to eight people accused of fraud and stayed their arrest till November 25. Notice to the state on the said application was also issued for the same date.The application seeking interim bail was filed here by accused Gurmeer Singh, Surjit Singh, Karnail Singh, Rajinder Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Bant Kaur and Kartar Kaur. They were booked here on September 5, 1997, under sections 420 and 120 B, IPC.Charges against the accused are that they sold plots after the execution of agreement to sell. The complaint to this effect was filed by one Anil Kakria with the Economic Offences Wing. In the application seeking stay on arrest, the petitioners stated that they entered into an agreement with the complainant and one S.S. Kohli on January 13, 1997, regarding sale of land at Bhabat village and Mohali and the total sale value was fixed at Rs 46.25 lakh. In the agreement, it was stipulated that the purchasers have paid Rs 6.90 lakh and the balance amount was to be paid before October 15.A legal notice to this effect was also served. As per the terms of agreement, the petitioners went to the tehsildar, Mohali, but the complainants did not reach the place.Even after that, they did not pay the balance amount. Another notice was thus sent, stating that since the complainants did not turn up to pay the remaining amount, the earnest money of Rs 6.90 stood forfeited.They also stated that interim bail could be granted on grounds that no evidence could be tampered with.Former Deputy Mayor gives statement against RiarFormer deputy mayor and councillor of the Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh, Harjinder Kaur today appeared in the court of UT Judicial Magistrate (Ist Class) Pushvinder Singh for recording of preliminary evidence in the defamation suit she filed against former city unit president of the Shiromani Akali Dal, Gurpartap Singh Riar.She stated that Riar had tried to tarnish her image by alleging that she had illicit relations with a former Congress minister and also with a leader of the SAD high command.She stated that due to such remarks, her esteem had been lowered in the eyes of the general public, especially the Sikhs. Alleging that Riar also distributed derogatory letters against her, she stated that she had no option but to file a suit for defamation.
