New Delhi : The Respondent No. 02, Mantoo Sharma, in his counter-affidavit in the Supreme Court of India, has also submitted the 'List of Important Dates' in connection with the Special Leave Petition(Criminal) No.1603 of 2013 in the world famous Rs.200 crore Dainik Hindustan Govt. Advertisement Scam of Bihar. The S.L.P. (Criminal) No.1603 of 2013 has been filed by the Chairperson of M/S The Hindustan Times Limited,New Delhi.And the Supreme Court of India will hear the case on December 16, 2013 next.
“The List of Important Dates”, submitted by the Respondent No.02, Mantoo Sharma to the Supreme Court, gives the details of the commission of serious economic offences on part of the M/S The Hindustan Times Limited (New Delhi) in the world famous Rs.200 crore Dainik Hindustan Government Advertisement Scam of Bihar.
The content of “The List of Important Dates” in connection with the Munger(Bihar) Kotwali P.S Case No. 445/2011, u/s 420/471/476 of IPC and 8(B),14 & 15 of The Press & Registration of Books Act, 1867, is given below in the original form.:
1867- The Press & Registration of books Act, 1867 came in force in India with the objective for Regulation of Printing Presses and Newspapers, for the preservation of copies of Books and Newspapers, printed in India, and for the registration of such books and newspapers.
1956— The Union Government in India in 1956, in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 20-A of the Press & Registration of Books Act, 1867, amended the Prss & Registration of Books Act, 1867, and since then, ‘The Registration of Newspapers(Central) Rules, 1956 came in existence in India.
Both, “The Press & Registration of Books Act, 1867” and “ The Registration of Newspapers(Central) Rules, 1956 are in force in India.
02-04-1936– M/S The Hindustan Times Limited ( New Delhi) set up its printing press in Delhi and began printing, publishing and circulating the Hindi daily 'Hindustan' from Delhi after obtaining the “Certificate of Registration” from the Press Registrar under the provisions of the Press & Registration of Books Act, 1867.
The same company “M/S The Hindustan Times Limited (New Delhi), which was later on changed into M/S H.T.Media Limited and M/S Hindustan Media Ventures Limited respectively, set up its new printing presses at eight new different locations in Utter Pradesh and began printing, publishing and circulating the same title Hindi newspaper” Hindustan” after obtaining “ separate Certificates of Registration” and “ Separate Registration Numbers” from the Press Registrar, New Delhi, honouring the provisions of The Press & Registration of Books Act, 1867 and The Registration of Newspapers(Central) Rules, 1956.
1986- The same company M/S The Hindustan Times Limited( New Delhi) set up a new printing press at Patna in Bihar in 1986 and began printing, publishing and circulating the same title Hindi newspaper” Hindustan”, also known as the Patna edition/publication of Dainik Hindustan, after obtaining the “ Separate Certificate of Registration” and “ Separate Registration Number – RNI No.-44348/1986” from the Press Registrar, New Delhi, honouring the provisions of the “ Press & Registration of Books Act, 1867” and “ The Registration of Newspapers(Central ) Rules, 1956.’
24-03-2001-The same company M/S The Hindustan Times Limited ( New Delhi) set up its new printing press at Muzaffarpur in Bihar in 2001 and illegally began printing, publishing and circulating its Muzaffarpur edition/ publication of Dainik Hindustan without obtaining “ Separate Certificate of Registration” and “ Separate Registration Number” from the Press Registrar, New Delhi, wilfully ignoring the provisions of the Press & Registration of Books Act, 1867. Not only that, the company also fraudulently and falsely dared to begin printing the “ Registration No. RNI No.44348/1986(allotted to the Patna Edition) on the “ Print-line” of the Muzaffarpur edition/ publication of Dainik Hindustan.
03-08-2001- The same company M/S The Hindustan Times Limited ( New Delhi) set up its new printing press at Bhagalpur in Bihar in 2001 and illegally began printing, publishing and circulating the Bhagalpur and Munger editions/ publications of Dainik “Hindustan” in Bhagalpur and Munger districts without obtaining “ Separate Certificates of Registration” and” Separate Registration Numbers” from the Press Registrar, New Delhi. The Company also fraudulently and falsely began printing the Registration No. RNI No. -44348/1986( allotted to the Patna Edition) on the “Print—line” of the Bhagalpur and Munger editions/publications of Dainik Hindustan.
The company M/S The Hindustan Times Limited ( New Delhi), which was later on changed into M/S H.T. Media Limited and now M/S Hindustan Media Ventures Limited, New Delhi respectively from August 03, 2001 to June 30,2011 continuously, fraudulently and willfully printed the “ Registration No. RNI No. 44348/1986( Allocated to the Patna edition of Dainik Hindustan) on the “ Print-lines” of the Bhagalpur and Munger editions of Dainik Hindustan” from August 03,2001 to June 30,2011.
06-09-2005- The Deputy General Manager(Media Marketing),M/S H.T.Media Limited(Patna) Mr. Ravi Bhushan, in his official letter No.7744, dated 06/09/2005, addressed to the Director, Information & Public Relation Department,Govt. of Bihar,Bihar, Patna, tries to force the Bihar Government to issue the Government advertisements to its unauthorized Bhagalpur and Muzaffarpur editions/publications of Dainik Hindustan, and at the same time, confesses ‘ in print’ that the Bhagalpur and Muzaffarpur printing presses have no 'Certificate of Registration'.
22-03-2006- The Secretary, Information and Public Relation Department, Bihar,Patna, Mr.Vivek Kumar Singh(I.A.S), sends an official letter, bearing No. Advt. 48-01/2006-247/IPRD, Patna, to the Press Registrar,New Delhi and asks for an advice on alleged violation of the Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867 in the matter of printing and publication of Bhagalpur and Muzaffarpur editions of Dainik Hindustan.
20-04-2006- The Sectional Officer, in the office of the Press Registrar, New Delhi, Mrs. Purnima Mallick, in response to the official letter of the Secretary, Information & Public Relation Department, Bihar,Patna, replies, vide letter No. nil, dated 20-04-2006, and clearly says that “ The Company has only got permission to print Dainik Hindustan at Patna.”
09-05-2006- The Chief Accounts Controller, Finance (Audit) Department, Bihar,Patna, submits its Audit Report No.-195/2005-06 to the Director, Information and Public Relation Department,Bihar, Patna and directs the officials concerned to ensure the ‘ compliance’ of the ‘ audit-objections’. This is the first internal audit report of the Bihar Government that exposes the illegal printing and publication of Dainik Hindustan from new presses at Bhagalpur and Muzaffarpur in Bihar, and recommends to recover more than Rupees one crore from the company as that amount was paid to the company illegally for the publication of the government advertisement in the unauthorized Bhagalpur and Muzaffarpur editions/ publications of Dainik Hindustan.
14-03-2008- On the legal opinion of the then Advocate General of Bihar, the Chief Accounts Controller (CAC), Finance (Audit) Department, Bihar,Patna mysteriously drops the ‘ particular part’ of the ‘audit-objections’ of the Audit- Report No. 195/ 2005-06 , relating to the violation of the Press & Registration of Books Act, 1867 in the matter of illegal printing and publication of Bhagalpur and Muzaffarpur editions of Dainik Hindustan.
08-12-2008- The Central Information Commission ( New Delh) in the Case No. CIC/OK/A/2008/885/AD (ShriKrishna Prasad Vs CPIO, Registrar of Newspapers for India), directs the CPIO to hold an immediate enquiry into the alleged illegal publication of Dainik Hindustan in 38 districts of Bihar and 12 districts of Jharkhand with consultation with the concerned District Magistrates and submit the ‘ enquiry-report’ within one month of the receipt of the order.
30-06-2011- The Company M/S The Hindustan Times Limited, that was later on changed into M/S H.T.Media Limited and now M/S Hindustan Media Ventures Limited, wrongly and fraudulently printed the Registration No. RNI No. 44348/1986(that is allocated to the Patna edition of Dainik Hindustan) on the “Print-lines” of the Bhagalpur and Munger editions/ publications of Dainik Hindustan from August 03,2001 to June 30, 2011. Continuously.
01/07/2011- As an enquiry on the order of the Central Information Commission( New Delhi) into the alleged illegal printing and publication of Dainik Hindustan in all 38 districts of Bihar and 12 districts of Jharkhand state, was going on, the company M/S Hindustan Media Ventures Limited ( New Delhi), all of a sudden, dropped printing the ‘ Registration No. RNI No. 44348/ 1986’ from the ‘Print-lines’ of the ‘ Bhagalpur and Munger editions/ publications’ of Dainik Hindustan from July 01, 2011. And the, the Company started printing “ Registration No.—Applied For” on the ‘Print-lines’ of the Bhagalpur and Munger editions / publications of Dainik Hindustan from July 01, 2011 onwards.
18-10-2011- A social worker, Mantoo Sharma, files a complaint case No.993©/2011 against the accused persons in the court of Hon’ble Chief Judicial Magistrate,Munger.
05-11-2011- The Hon’ble Chief Judicial Magistrate,Munger under section 156(3) of Cr.P.C, directs the Munger police to lodge an F.I.R in this case.
18-11-2011- On the order of the Hon’ble court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate,Munger in the Complaint Case No.993©/2011, the Munger Kotwali Police(Bihar) lodges a First Information Report with the Kotwali police station ,bearing the P.S Case No. 445/2011, dated 18/11/2011, against all the named accused persons including the petitioner under sections 8(B),14/15 of the Press & Registration of Books Act, 1867 and sections 420/471/476 of the Indian Penal Code and begin investigation.
21-04-2012- The Deputy Police Superintendent,Munger submits his ‘ Supervision Report No.01’ in the Kotwali P.S Case No. 445/2011 and concludes his findings of investigation and supervision with the remarks” Facts coming in the way of investigation and supervision and documents, obtained, prove that his case is ‘ prima-facie’ true”
30-04-2012- The Police Superintendent,Munger also submits his ‘Supervision Report No.02’ in the Munger Kotwali P.S Case No. 445/2011 and fully supports the ‘findings’ of the Deputy Police Superintendent,Munger and directs the Investigating Officer/ Deputy Police Superintendent,Munger to present ‘case diaries’ in this case after taking a decision on the point of accusation.
2011-12- Smt Shobhana Bhartia, Mr.Shashi Shekhar, Aaku Srivastawa, Binod Bandhu, Amit Chopra, all named accused persons in the Munger Kotwali P.S Case No. 445/ 2011, move the Hon’ble High Court of Patna, filing two separate Criminal Miscellaneous Cases No. 2951/2011 and Case No. 16763/2012, praying to ‘quash’ the Munger Kotwali P.S Case No. 445/ 2011.
27/09/2012- The Munger Collector, in response to a direction of the Hon’ble High Court of Patna, sends his ‘ enquiry-report’ to the Hon’ble High Court of Patna, confirms the violation of the provisions of the Press & Registration of Books Act, 1867 in the particular matter of the printing & publication of ‘ Munger and Lakhisarai editions/ publications ‘ till the time of sending the report. He also submits in the Honble High Court of Patna copies of unauthorised and illegally printed and circulated copies of the Munger and Lakhisarai editions of Dainik Hindustan.
17-12-2012- The Hon’ble High Court of Patna in the Criminal Miscellaneous Case Nos-2951/2011 and No. 16763/2012, on December, 17, 2012, passes an order, directing the Munger police investigating officer to expedite the police investigation (para -15) of the order) within three months from the date of receipt of the order.
15-01-2013– The main named accused Smt Shobhana Bharatia, Chairperson of the Hindustan Publication Groups, moves the Hon’ble Supreme Court against the order of the Hon’ble High Court of Patna dated 17/12/2012
ShriKrishna Prasad,
Advocate
Mob-09470400813
