The Hindu : High-level probe ordered into card room `brawl'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jun 23, 2003

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High-level probe ordered into card room `brawl'

By Rajesh Ahuja

CHANDIGARH JUN. 22. Even though the Mayor of Chandigarh, Subhash Chawla, and the local advocate, Satbir Singh Goripuria, tried to wriggle out of the unsavory controversy emanating from the alleged "brawl'' between them in the card room of the Chandigarh Club, the local Superintendent of Police, Gaurav Yadav, ordered a probe into the whole incident especially to establish whether gambling takes place in the prestigious Club involving high and mighty players.

The episode, which has become the hottest news in the City Beautiful, took a strange bizarre turn with the two parties claiming at a "joint'' press conference that it was all a "misunderstanding.'' Mr. Goripuria claimed that he was under the influence of liquor when he lodged the Daily Diary Report (DDR) against the Mayor with the police.Virtually changing his earlier statements, he said that the fracas at the Club had occurred not between him and the Mayor but two corporators accompanying Mr.Chawla had "bullied'' him. Mr.Chawla virtually insisted that he had never indulged in "gambling.''

However, taking cognizance of demand from all political parties, including several Congressmen, and reportedly stung by criticism that gambling in Clubs was taking place while it remained a mute spectator, the UT Chandigarh Police seems to have taken a strict stand and ordered a high-level probe by the Deputy Superintendent of Police (Central), S.C. Sagar, into the whole incident. What is significant is the brief given to Mr.Sagar. He has been asked to ascertain whether any cognisable offence was committed and whether gambling was taking place and establish the exact sequence of events.

In an interesting development, the local Congress Corporator and party general secretary, Chandermukhi Sharma, told The Hindu that he would be filing a defamation case of Rs.one crore against the advocate for damaging the image of the Congress by allegedly levelling `serious' charges against the Congress Mayor. A deputation of Congress leaders would call upon the Inspector-General of Police, Chandigarh, seeking the registration of an FIR against the advocate on charges of gambling and misguiding the police to lodge a DDR based on wrong information. He said that he would also write to the Bar Council to cancel the licence of the advocate.

Meanwhile, even as the management of the Chandigarh Club banned the entry of the Mayor and the advocate into the card room of the Club till the disciplinary Committee gave its report regarding the incident, several Congress leaders today met the AICC General Secretary, Oscar Fernandes, who was in Chandigarh, and apprised him about the loss of face caused to the party over the Mayor's alleged involvement in the Club brawl on Wednesday night which had been extensively reported in the electronic as well as print media.

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High-level probe ordered into card room `brawl'