Modern jail proposed for Fazilka dist
Praful Chander Nagpal

Fazilka, February 18
Following the seizure of narcotics and other banned items, and an increase in the number of prisoners at the sub-jail here, a modern jail has been proposed for the district headquarters.

The proposal to replace the 133-year-old sub-jail, which has been housing the prisoners of Abohar and Jalalabad sub-divisions also, with a district-level modern jail came after the elevation of Fazilka as district headquarters about 20 months ago.

Surinder Singh, a senior architect from the office of the Chief Architect, Punjab, accompanied by a team of local officials, conducted a survey of the sites for the proposed jail.

The team visited a location four km away from here and falling under villages Rampura and Banwala Hanuwanta on the National Highway. The land measuring about 15- acres is owned by the panchayats of the two villages.

Further, the team visited a site measuring about 20 acres at Salemshah village on the outskirts of the town.

"The final decision on the site shall be taken after receipt of a report from the office of the Chief Architect, Punjab," said Fazilka additional deputy commissioner Charandev Singh Maan.

The proposed modern jail shall have the capacity to house 1,000 prisoners. The jail shall have different projects and agricultural fields to keep the jail inmates busy.

The present jail at Fazilka came into existence in 1880. It was upgraded to a sub-jail on September 12, 1957.

The sub-jail, which is meant to accommodate 48 inmates, has remained overcrowded for the past several years. With setting up of the courts of additional district and sessions judge at Fazilka about two months ago, the number of inmates has risen.

Official sources said presently, around 130 inmates were lodged in the jail. The strength of watch and ward staff and the security personnel to take the prisoners for their appearance in the courts, however, continues to be the same.

"It is difficult to manage an overcrowded jail and meet the needs of the inmates," said Deputy Superintendent of the sub-jail, Sucha Singh.

Court raps F’kot police for delay in filing chargesheet
The delay resulted in the accused securing bail from court
Balwant Garg
Tribune News Service

Faridkot, February 18
As the police is failing to file the chargesheet against the accused in many criminal cases within the stipulated time, which resulted in the arrested accused securing bail, the court of the Additional District and Sessions Judge in Faridkot has directed the senior police authorities to take appropriate action against the ‘negligent’ investigation officers (IO) concerned.

The court came down heavily on the Faridkot police for its handling of the investigation in a case of narcotics and drugs smuggling registered under the NDPS Act. As the police failed to present the challan (chargesheet) before the court within 180 days of the arrest of the accused, all the three accused were released on bail.

Under Section 167 (2)(a)(ii) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), if the investigating agency failed to produce the chargesheet within 180 days in drugs and narcotics smuggling case, the accused is entitled to bail.

Though the police can make a request to the court to extend the time for filing the chargesheet, it should be made before the expiry of 180 days.

However, in the present case, the IO did not exercise this option, so the accused secured the bail.

Earlier, on September 23, 2012, the Faridkot SSP had placed a station house officer (SHO) under suspension for his negligent attitude in not filing the chargesheet against seven notorious criminals within the stipulated 60 days and the ‘laxity’ helped the accused in getting bail from court.

There are many other such cases where the police could not file the charesheet against the accused in time due to which the accused got bail.

But there are also many other cases where the accused are languishing in the jail, waiting for the police to file the chargesheet so that the trial in the cases could be started formally.

Faridkot city SHO Narinder Singh said the action against the IO in the case registered under the NDPS Act was underway as per the directions of the court. However, the SHO said the delay for filing the chargesheet in many other cases registered under the NDPS Act was due to the delayed arrival of reports from the Forensic Science Laboratory at Kharar.

The delay in arrival of reports was leading to a delay in the forensic examination of evidence in various criminal cases. “We keep sending reminders to the Forensic Lab as the delay causes an adverse impact on investigations in the cases,” said the SHO.

State Chief Chemical Examiner Dr SP Sureela said a process had been started to upgrade the lab and bring in some advanced machines that would prove helpful in conducting quicker examination.

Legal course

• Under Section 167 (2)(a)(ii) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, if the investigating agency fails to produce the chargesheet within 180 days in drugs and narcotics smuggling case, the accused is entitled to bail.
• Though the police can make a request to the court to extend the time for filing the chargesheet, it should be made before the expiry of 180 days.

Villagers oppose setting up of distillery near interstate border

Abohar, February 18
Scores of villagers have opposed the state government's move to issue licence for opening a distillery near the interstate border.

In a memorandum submitted to the Deputy Commissioner Dr Basant Garg and the sub-divisional magistrate Gurmail Singh here today, Tootwala village sarpanch Surta Ram, Kallarkhera sarpanch Mohinder Pal, former sarpanch Satnam Singh and some members of the panchayats said the project was likely to be launched soon near villages Tootwala, Kallarkhera and Maujgarh, the native village of former Governor Bal Ram Jakhar and former minister Sajjan Kumar Jakhar.

The boundary wall of the distillery would be just 16 feet away from a nursing college for girls. The distillery would vitiate the social atmosphere besides polluting the environment in the area.

While speaking to the media in the sub-divisional complex, the protesters said the government had not been able to make available sufficient quantity of water for irrigation to the villages located at the tail-end of the canal system but agreed to open a distillery in the same area.

They said as of now, a signature campaign had been launched against the project and if the government goes ahead with it, they would start an agitation.

One such project had triggered a strong protest from thousands of farmers at Ghallu village on the Abohar-Fazilka road a few years ago forcing the government to cancel the licence for the project. — OC

Women & children hospital sought for Barnala
Tribune News Service

Barnala, February 18
Under the banner of the Civil Hospital Bachao Committee, several local organisations have started opposing the government’s move to sell the old building of the hospital here.

A deputation of the committee handed over a memorandum to Deputy Commissioner Dr Indu Malhotra here today demanding construction of a women and children hospital at the site of the old civil hospital.

A leader of the committee said they had today submitted the memorandum to the DC. It was addressed to the Chief Secretary, Punjab, as the principal secretary, Health, had assured them in September 2012 that the place would be utilised for expansion of health facilities of the Civil Hospital.

He said the assurance notwithstanding, the PUDA inserted an advertisement in a newspaper on January 31 last regarding demolition of the old building.

He said the population of Barnala district was around 7 lakh that required at least a 50-bed women and children hospital here.

He said they were demanding cancellation of the tender notice issued by the PUDA, so that a 50-beded women and children hospital equipped with ultra-modern facilities, could be set up there.

He said it was learnt that there was a plan to shift the existing Civil Hospital to some place near Handhiaya village. He warned that if the government initiated such a step, the committee would expose its ‘anti-people’ face in the public.

11 arrested for gambling

Fazilka, February 18
The police has arrested 11 persons for gambling at the local Pratap Bagh, which is at a stone’s throw from the office of the SSP here, today.

Fazilka DSP Ram Parkash said a police party, led by inspector Surinder Singh, conducted the raid at a place where people were playing cards. The police has seized Rs 6,180 and 10 mobile phones from 11 persons, who have been booked under the Gambling Act. — OC