B A T H I N D A    E D I T I O N

Man files complaint in CJM court, alleges vendetta
Faridkot, November 12
A whistleblower who exposed a scandal in the functioning of some private educational institutions and unravelled how they were preparing fake salary statements and submitting bogus records to various government departments to avoid financial liabilities, is now facing reprisal at the hands of some of the accused, allegedly in connivance with the police.

Farmers clash over water dispute
Abohar, November 12
Some cops who had gone to village Khubban from Wahabwala police station to help a farmer Gamdoor Singh irrigate his fields had a marginal escape as a rival farmer opened fire using a double barrel rifle today.

Fazilka gets addl district judges
Fazilka, November 12
JPS Khurmi and Sumit Malhotra have been appointed the first additional district judges for Fazilka district court by the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The newly-appointed judges are expected to assume charge on  November 14. 

BSF, Army personnel celebrate Divali with pomp & show
Abohar/Fazilka, Nov 12
A Divali Mela was organised by the 199 Battalion of the Border Security Force (BSF) at its sector headquarters here on Monday. DIG Ashwani Kumar Sharma and Vimla Sharma, chairperson of the BSF Family Welfare Association, jointly inaugurated the fair. BSF officers of various ranks and their families participated in the mela. The stalls established by the BSF sold fire-crackers, sweets, fast food, garments, confectionery and soft drinks.

(1) Family members of the Army personnel at the Divali fair held at Fazilka military station on Monday; (2) BSF DIG Ashwani Kumar Sharma and Vimla Sharma walk in after inaugurating Diwali Mela at Abohar; (3) Divali Mela at Lalgarh cantonment concluded with a display of fireworks. Tribune photos

College team wrests volleyball title
Abohar, November 12
Scripting a golden chapter in sports, the team of Maharishi Dayanand College (Sriganganagar) won the volleyball championship for the ninth consecutive year.

Man files complaint in CJM court, alleges vendetta
Balwant Garg
Tribune News Service

Faridkot, November 12
A whistleblower who exposed a scandal in the functioning of some private educational institutions and unravelled how they were preparing fake salary statements and submitting bogus records to various government departments to avoid financial liabilities, is now facing reprisal at the hands of some of the accused, allegedly in connivance with the police.

In a complaint filed in the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Faridkot, Vipan Kaushal, a typist in the district court complex in Faridkot, alleged that at the instance of the owner of an educational institution, a senior police official and a public prosecutor dragged him in a fake criminal case related to the possession of illegal fire-arms.

"Taking action on the basis of a complaint filed by the educational institution that I was defaming it, the police booked me for forgery, defamation and even possessing illegal weapons," alleged Kaushal, in his complaint before the court of the CJM.

Kaushal has demanded the registration of a criminal case against a senior police official and a public prosecutor for their alleged offence of tampering with the police records to involve him in a fake criminal case of possessing illegal weapons.

"In his original complaint to the police and civil administration for action against me, the owner of Amarpati Memorial Public School, Kotkapura, on September 26, 2011, had demanded legal action against me for defamation," alleged Vipan Kaushal.

"But after tampering with the complaint received from the school owner and the official records, the police booked me for forgery, defamation and possessing illegal weapon," alleged Vipan.

After Kaushal filed a complaint in the CJM court on November 5, the CJM forwarded the complaint to the Judicial Magistrate, Ist Class, Faridkot for necessary action.

"With the help of Right to Information Act (RTI), I exposed a huge scandal in which some private educational institutions were preparing fake salary statements and violating many rule and regulations in the payment of salaries to the teachers. After this exposure, a high-level inquiry was started some time back," said Vipan Kaushal.

Following the inquiry, Amarpati Memorial Public School, Kotkapura, was slapped huge fines and penalties.

"The school owners made many complaints against me but I was given a clean chit," said Kaushal.

But last year, there was another complaint against Kaushal for defaming this school.

“But as defamation charges against me were not so harsh, it was alleged that I also possesseed illegal fire-arms, said Kaushal.

Farmers clash over water dispute
Our Correspondent

Abohar, November 12
Some cops who had gone to village Khubban from Wahabwala police station to help a farmer Gamdoor Singh irrigate his fields had a marginal escape as a rival farmer opened fire using a double barrel rifle today.

Gurmukh Singh, the farmer who fired shots, allegedly also misbehaved with Station House Officer (SHO) Jitender Singh who had rushed to investigate the case.

Gurmukh Singh has been admitted to the Nehru Memorial Civil Hospital. While the police claimed he suffers from high blood pressure, the farmer accused the cops of thrashing him badly. To avert further clash, Gurmukh Singh has been referred to the government medical college at Faridkot.

Official sources said Gamdoor Singh had sought the help of the police fearing trouble from neighbor Gurmukh Singh in irrigating his fields.

As the cops accompanied the complainant and asked him to open the water outlet in their presence, Gurmukh Singh resisted and fired but the bullet did not hit the cops.

Later, when SHO Jitender Singh rushed to the fields, the irate farmer allegedly misbehaved with him but was nabbed. He had to be admitted to the hospital due to high blood pressure.

A case under various sections of the IPC and Arms Act has been registered against him.

On the other hand, Gurmukh Singh said the water outlet had recently been repaired and the irrigation staff had asked him to not allow it to be tampered with.

The policemennot only extended undue favour to Gamdoor Singh but also beat me up,” Gurmukh Singh alleged.

Fazilka gets addl district judges
Our Correspondent

Fazilka, November 12
JPS Khurmi and Sumit Malhotra have been appointed the first additional district judges for Fazilka district court by the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The newly-appointed judges are expected to assume charge on 
November 14. This is the first appointment of the judges after Fazilka got the district headquarters status on July 27, 2011.

Besides, Additional Civil Judge (Senior Division), Fazilka, Sumit Ghai has been promoted as Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM). He has already assumed charge on November 10.

The judges would begin their work in the newly-constructed and renovated building of the old Tehsil complex here.

"The creation of the district courts at Fazilka after over a year of granting district status to this border town was a historic event. Now, the people would be able to get justice at their doorsteps after decades of struggle. To provide justice at the doorsteps is the basic principle of the Supreme Court," said former president of the Bar Association RK Angi.

Notably, Punjab government has already transferred funds to the tune of Rs 50 crore to the building committee of the Punjab and Haryana High Court for the construction of sessions court at Fazilka.

Twelve acres of land has already been acquired near Dussehra ground on NH10 for setting up the session courts there.

The Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court is expected to lay the foundation stone of the proposed district session scourt next month after being handed over the possession of the land by the Municipal Council.

With the setting up of session court, the legal work would be shifted to Fazilka from Ferozepur. 

BSF, Army personnel celebrate Divali with pomp & show
Tribune Reporters

Abohar/Fazilka, Nov 12
A Divali Mela was organised by the 199 Battalion of the Border Security Force (BSF) at its sector headquarters here on Monday. DIG Ashwani Kumar Sharma and Vimla Sharma, chairperson of the BSF Family Welfare Association, jointly inaugurated the fair. BSF officers of various ranks and their families participated in the mela. The stalls established by the BSF sold fire-crackers, sweets, fast food, garments, confectionery and soft drinks.

A Divali fair was also organized with pomp and show at the military station in Fazilka for the welfare of the Army personnel, their families and ex- servicemen today. The fair was inaugurated by Brigadier Rakesh Raina and his wife Anju Raina.

The main attraction of the fair was the stalls of eateries catering various dishes from different parts of country.

The children enjoyed the camel ride, jumping castle, merry-go-round and other games. To conclude the event and entertain visitors in the true tradition of the Army, a band display and bhangra dance was also performed by the Army personnel. Anju Raini gave away the prizes to the winners of raffle draw conducted by the local Army formations. The Diwali celebrations culminated in a splendid display of firework.

Meanwhile, the three-day Divali Mela which was inaugurated by the Families Welfare Organisation chairperson Gagandeep Bajwa in Lalgarh Cantonment, concluded with a spectacular show of fireworks. Brigade Commander PS Bajwa and Col GS Sidhu also joined in the celebrations.

College team wrests volleyball title
Our Correspondent

Abohar, November 12
Scripting a golden chapter in sports, the team of Maharishi Dayanand College (Sriganganagar) won the volleyball championship for the ninth consecutive year.

The winners were given a warm welcome as they returned to home town yesterday. Team in-charge Sita Ram Takhar informed that in the inter-college championship of Maharaja Gang Singh University, hosted by SK GV College at Sangria, the MD College team led by Ashok Saharan finally emerged as the winners and clinched the trophy. The team members were lauded by the principal and the staff.