Chandigarh, Jan 25 - The Punjab and Haryana High Court Monday granted interim bail to former Haryana police chief S. P. S. Rahtore after two fresh first information reports (FIRs) were filed against him by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the molestation of Ruchika Girhotra.

Rathore was also given relief in the third case registered against him for allegedly abetting Ruchika's suicide, as the court directed CBI to give him a four-day notice before arresting him.

Chandigarh, Jan 24 - Bollywood producer Pahlaj Nihalani, credited with launching actors like Govinda, Chunky Pandey and Suniel Shetty, says the profit-driven attitude of multiplexes is leading to the downfall of quality cinema.

"Multiplexes are gradually eating away good cinema and new talent. They are charging exorbitant ticket prices and show only those movies that have strong cast. Other movies with fresh and experimental subjects wither away after just one or two shows," Nihalani told IANS here.

Chandigarh, Jan 18 - The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Monday strongly opposed the anticipatory bail sought by disgraced former Haryana police chief S. P. S. Rathore in connection with two fresh police complaints against him.

CBI submitted its reply in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Rathore, convicted for molesting teenager Ruchika Girhotra, had moved the high court seeking anticipatory bail after a district court of Panchkula town in Haryana had dismissed it Jan 8.

Chandigarh, Jan 11 : Four days after a magisterial inquiry held the Sacred Heart Senior Secondary School here guilty of being unfair in expelling teenage molestation victim Ruchika Girhotra for fee default, the school principal S. Sebestina Monday returned the state award.

The Chandigarh administration had directed her to return the award, which was given to her in 2005 for meritorious contribution to city education. She was the principal of the school in 1990, when Ruchika was expelled.

Chandigarh, Jan 11 : Amrik Singh, who worked in the office of Punjab and Haryana High Court judge Nirmaljit Kaur and complainant in the cash-for-judge scam, failed to appear before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court here Monday.

During the last hearing Dec 24, CBI special judge Darshan Singh had summoned Singh after CBI submitted its sealed final report in the cash-for-judge scam, which rocked this union territory in August last year, seeking cancellation of the case.

Chandigarh, Jan 11 : The Punjab government Monday announced a Rs. 500,000 grant to the kin of the two youth killed in suspected racial attacks in Australia earlier this month.

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal announced the grant to the family of Nitin Garg and Ranjot Singh who were killed in racial attacks by unidentified assailants in Australia last week.

While Nitin was stabbed to death in Melbourne city, the body of Ranjot was found in New South Wales province. Nitin was cremated in Jagraon town, 160 km from here, Sunday.

Chandigarh, Jan 11 : Former Director General of Police (DGP) SPS Rathore, who has been charged for allegedly molesting 14-year old teenager Ruchika Girhotra, a promising young tennis star in 1990s, is expected to move the High Court on Monday for his bail.

The Panchkula court had on Friday (January8) dismissed the bail plea of Rathore.

The court had also slammed the Haryana Police for failing to provide evidences against Rathore, and for not opposing his bail petition.

Rathore has three cases pending against him in the court; all filed by Ruchika''s family and friends.

Ruchika''s family lawyer Pankaj Bharadwaj had earlier filed two First Information Reports (FIRs) against Rathore.

Chandigarh, Jan 11 - The union territory of Chandigarh recorded the coldest day in seven years Monday with the maximum temperature dipping to 9.4 degrees Celsius and the minimum to 5.9 degrees.

"This is the lowest maximum temperature that we have recorded in the last seven years. In 2003, we had recorded a maximum temperature at 8 degrees Celsius," a Met official said here.

While Sikh holy city Amritsar registered the coldest day in Punjab, with a minimum temperature of minus 1.2 degrees Celsius, which was three degrees below average. Temperatures at Patiala and Ludhiana stood at 6.6 and 6 degrees, respectively.

"Most parts of the state witnessed intense fog in the early hours Monday but it cleared by 8 a. m.

Chandigarh, Jan 11 - Extreme cold weather conditions continued in Chandigarh Monday and authorities extended the winter holidays for the primary classes till Jan 13, officials said.

The vacation had earlier been extended till Jan 10 but seeing no respite in the harsh weather conditions, the administration here Monday directed all private and government schools of Chandigarh to close their primary wings till Wednesday.

"There is no improvement in the weather and it is really difficult for the kids as they are always more prone to infections. Dense fog prevailing in the region has further deteriorated the situation so we have decided to extend their vacation," said Ram Niwas, home-cum-education secretary of the union territory.

Chandigarh, Jan 10 - Fog along with bone-chilling cold Sunday derailed normal life in Punjab, Haryana and the joint capital Chandigarh and hit road, rail and air traffic.

A blanket of thick fog enveloped Chandigarh and most parts of Punjab and Haryana. "Dense fog prevails in the region, reducing the visibility level to below 100 meters. We are expecting these conditions to continue in the coming days," said a Met official here.

The Chandigarh Police have issued a traffic advisory for the residents to follow while driving. "People should drive slow during foggy weather and avoid overtaking as far as possible. Fog lights should be switched on and nobody should use high beam while driving," the advisory stated.

Chandigarh, Jan 10 - The central government has granted Rs. 270 million to promote tourism in the union territory (UT) of Chandigarh, an official said Sunday.

"We have received a grant of Rs. 27 crore (Rs. 270 million) from the union ministry of Tourism. The financial support will help us in creating world-class tourism infrastructure at prominent places in the city," said UT home-cum-tourism secretary Ram Niwas.

He said: "It is our endeavour to develop Chandigarh as a major tourist destination of this region. I have directed all officials concerned to complete the tourism projects in a time-bound manner."

Chandigarh, Jan 10 - Haryana Police appear to be dithering over the arrest of its former head, S. P. S. Rathore, in the Ruchika Girhotra molestation case. If he is arrested, the disgraced police officer will not be the first state police chief to go behind bars as a criminal. Two of his predecessors have also spent terms in prison.

Former Haryana director general of police (DGP) Lachhman Dass was the first state police chief to be arrested by the same force which he had headed. Dass, who was DGP from August 1994 to April 1995, was arrested soon after his retirement as he was accused of being involved in a conspiracy to kill a man called Jatinder Pehal in a staged gunfight in 1994.

Chandigarh, Jan 9 : Peter Milliken, speaker of the Canadian House of Commons, said Saturday Indians are playing a "significant" role in his country's politics.

"Indians are playing a very significant role in Canadian politics. We have a good number of parliamentarians of Indian origin," Milliken, who represents Kingston Ontario, told reporters here.

"Considering the size of our country, Indians are very actively involved in Canadian politics. They are contributing a considerable share of their vast experience in our country and this is one of the reasons behind our success and prosperity," he added.

Chandigarh, Jan 8 : The Panchkula court here on Friday dismissed the bail plea of former Director General of Police (DGP) SPS Rathore.

Rathore can now be arrested and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) can now seek his custody.

Rathore has been charged for allegedly molesting 14-year-old teenager Ruchika Girhotra, a promising young tennis star in 1990s.

The court also slammed the Haryana Police for failing to provide evidences against Rathore, and for not opposing his bail petition.

Chandigarh, Jan 8 : Owing to dense fog and overcast conditions, no flight has either landed or taken off from the Chandigarh airport for the last seven days, an official said here Friday.

Kingfisher Airlines and Jet Airways have already cancelled their flights from the airport till Jan 10.

An airport official said: "Even today (Friday) we had to cancel all the flights. We are incurring huge losses due to this but we are helpless as Instrument Landing System (ILS), which helps during low visibility times, is lying defunct for the last five months."

Chandigarh, Jan 7 : Buckling under pressure from its alliance partner Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and falling for populist measures, the Akali Dal-led Punjab government Thursday announced that the enhanced tariff of electricity levied on all categories of consumers since April 1 last year would be adjusted in future bills.

A state government spokesman said the enhanced tariff levied in bills of domestic consumers would be adjusted for a one-year period from March 31, 2009, till April 1, 2010.

Chandigarh, Jan 7 : The report of a magisterial inquiry into the role of the premier Sacred Heart School in the expulsion of teenaged molestation victim Ruchika Girhotra was finally submitted Thursday, with a top Chandigarh official promising that the guilty would be nailed.

Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Prerna Puri submitted the inquiry report.

Chandigarh, Jan 7 : The union territory (UT) of Chandigarh has proposed Rs. 45.14 crore for universal access to secondary education during 2010-11 under the centrally-sponsored scheme Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA).

"We will summon the annual and prospective plan for 2010-2020 from the ministry of human resource development and we have also proposed a budget of over Rs. 45 crore for secondary education for 2010-11 under the RMSA," Ram Niwas, UT education secretary, said Thursday.

Chandigarh, Jan 7 : There was no respite from the bone chilling cold for the residents of Punjab, Haryana and the joint capital Chandigarh, even as mild sunshine greeted them Thursday.

"Intense cold wave running through the northern plains has led to a sharp fall in both day and night temperatures. In most parts of the region, the mercury remained two to three degrees below normal," said a Met official here Thursday.

Chandigarh, Jan 7 : The Punjab and Haryana High Court has issued a notice to the Central government, the Haryana government and former Director General of Police (DGP) SPS Rathore on a public interest litigation (PIL) moved by advocate Ranjan Lakhanpal asking for reinvestigation of the Ruchika molestation case.

The PIL also asked for probing the role of others who helped Rathore, including officials and politicians and the role of Ruchika''s school.