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sad releases list of office-bearers |
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SAD, BJP at loggerheads over delimitation of Batala wards
Sukhbir’s ‘help’ accused of taking money for jobs
Conman Gill may be a pawn in bigger game plan
34 teachers to be awarded
Hospitals, hotels don’t have to pay CLU fee
Badal seeks Modi's help to bail out NAFED
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's personal intervention in immediate restructuring of the outstanding loans of National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Limited (NAFED).
SGPC defends move on kirtan by women
Land auction put off, Dalits allege foul play
HC rejects candidate’s plea to shift to reserve category
BJP activist booked for rape
2 boys decamp with Rs 1.88 lakh from bank
Liquor seized from farmhouse
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sad releases list of office-bearers
Chandigarh, September 3 Earlier, the party’s urban district units were confined to big cities such as Amritsar, Jalandhar and Ludhiana. He has now set up urban units in smaller districts such as Mansa, Fazilka, Ferozepur, Gurdaspur and Ropar. Three units have been created of Ludhiana (Urban) alone. He has appointed a significant number of Hindu leaders as office-bearers to make the SAD an all- inclusive organisation and not just a party of the Sikhs. During the last Assembly elections, the SAD had given the ticket to a good number of Hindus. Many of them were elected MLAs. Most of the newly created urban units will be headed by Hindu leaders. Ahsok Aneja will head Fazilka (Urban), Navneet Khuara Ferozepur( Urban) and Shubash Ohri Gurdaspur (Urban). Mandan Lal Bagga will head the Ludhiana( Urban) district unit and Prem Kumar Kabaria Mansa (Urban). Sukhbir has adjusted almost all senior leaders. Hans Raj Hans has been made vice-preisdent. Bibi Jagir Kaur is president of the Istri Akali Dal. She replaces Paramjit Kaur Gulshan. Bikram Singh Majithia, who headed the Youth Akali Dal (YAD), has been made party general secretary. The YAD will have four units-two in Malwa and one each in Majha and Doaba regions. To coordinate the activities of four units, will be a coordinator. The post of YAD president has been abolished. The YAD office-bearers, members of the political affairs committee, executive committee and general council will be announced soon. Political advisers too would be appointed. In Haryana, Sharanjit Singh Sotha have been made state unit president. Manjit Singh GK has been made president of the Delhi state unit. In Chandigarh, Jagjit Singh Kang will continue to head the party organisation. The latter is brother of Congress leader Jagmohan Singh Kang. Hira Singh Gabria, Dr Rattan Singh Ajnala and others, who earlier headed district units, have been elevated to higher positions. Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa will continue as party secretary general.
Kolianwali gets prime post Muktsar:
Dayal Singh Kolianwali, Chairman, Punjab Agro Foodgrains Corporation and SGPC member, who is accused of attacking AAP candidate during the Talwandi Sabo byelection, was today made SAD’s Muktsar district (rural) president. Earlier, the he was accused of booth capturing during the rural and local body elections in the district. Starting his political career as an ordinary worker, Kolianwali was later made member, Punjab Subordinate Services Selection Board. Source said the Chief Minister had given him the control of 17 villages in the Lambi Assembly segment. As per a report, Kolianwali and his wife owe more than Rs 60 lakh to Primary Cooperative Agriculture Development Bank, Malout. In 2004, he and his son Parminder Singh were booked in a murder case, but were later acquitted. Before the 2012 Assembly elections, 15 packets of suspicious substance were seized from his residence. He later got a clean chit from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory.
Sr vice-presidents: RS Brahampura, BS Bhunder, GS Badal, Jathedar Tota Singh, Bibi Jagir Kaur, BS Ramoowalia and Dr Upinderjit Kaur Secy-general:
SS Dhindsa Secretary: Dr DS Cheema Treasurer: NK Sharma. Vice-presidents:
Sant Jagjit Singh Lopo, Paramjit Kaur Gulshan, Hari Singh Zira, Gobind Sing Longowal, Chaudhary Nand Lal, Parkash Chand Garg, Rajinder Singh Kanjhla, Onkar Singh Thaper, Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, Amrik Singh Aliwal, Bhagwan Dass Juneja, Avtar Singh Hit, Izhar Alam, Munnawar Masih, Varinder Singh Bajwa, Bhai Ram Singh, Hans Raj Hans, Sher Singh Ghubaya, Mahesh inder Singh Nihal Singh Wala, Amrik Singh Varpal, and Ramandeep Singh Bharowal General secretary:
Maheshinder Singh Grewal, Chandumajra, Nirmal Singh Kahlon, Naresh Gujral, SS Sekhwan, Avtar Singh Brar, Bikram Majithia, Janmeja Singh Sekhon, Dr Rattan Singh Ajnala, Sarwan Singh Phillaur and Hira Singh Gabria Spokesmen:
Dr Cheema, Maheshinder Singh Grewal, PS Chandumajra, Naresh Gujral, Manjit Singh GK
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SAD, BJP at loggerheads over delimitation of Batala wards
Batala, September 3 With the increase in the wards, Batala may even get the status of Municipal Corporation. Residents say if the town gets status of Municipal Corporation, more developmental works can be initiated as there will be more flow of funds. However, SAD halqa in charge and former MLA LS Lodhinangal has claimed that the Local Bodies Ministry, under whose jurisdiction the MC falls, is headed by a BJP minister and politics is being played by the party in the name of delimitation. On June 26, the Governor had nominated Lodhinangal as one of the six members of the committee formed to oversee the delimitation process. The other members are the Gurdaspur Deputy Commissioner, Batala SDM, MC Administrator, MC Executive Officer and local MLA Ashwani Sekhri. In a new development, the Local Bodies Department, headed by a BJP Minister, nominated former Batala BJP president Ashok Modgil as a member of the delimitation committee just two days before the committee meeting is scheduled. “The delimitation committee meeting is slated to be held tomorrow but till now, the draft of the new wards to be established has not been displayed on the MC notice board. I will not be able to do justice to the meeting if the draft is handed over to me just 30 minutes in advance. The Deputy Director (Local Bodies) had recently called members of the committee to record their objections. It turned out to be a ludicrous exercise on his part as I do not even know the contents of the draft. I need some time to study the draft before I am in a position to make any suggestions,” said Lodhinangal. He threatened to move the Punjab and Haryana High Court if the BJP “continued to play politics” over the delimitation exercise. However, Modgil claimed he too has not been shown the draft. “I also met the MC Executive Officer in this context but I failed to get a convincing answer. I was told that the draft was in the possession of the Deputy Director (Local Bodies),” he said. Batala SDM JS Grewal rubbished the allegations of Lodhinangal. “Even I have not seen the draft. We will give ample time to Lodhinangal and Modgil to study the proposals before we finalise things,” he said. Lodhinangal went to the extent of claiming that the Local Bodies Department was taking instructions from the state unit of the BJP. “The district administration too is following the directions of the BJP,” he added. However, this claim was refuted by senior administration officers.
Bone of contention
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Cong, SAD used muscle power to win byelections: Chhotepur
Amritsar, September 3 Chhotepur was here to pay obeisance at the Golden Temple. Talking about the poor performance of AAP candidates in byelections, he said the Congress and the SAD had reached a consensus to let each other win one seat. "The SAD let the Congress win the Patiala seat and Congress let the SAD win the Talwandi Sabo seat. The people had started talking about such a consensus in the run-up to the elections and the results have proved that those talks were correct," he said. Moreover, AAP was not ready for the byelections and that was another reason behind the party's poor performance, he added. Chhotepur said the BJP was afraid of holding fresh elections in New Delhi as it felt that the people would vote for AAP. "The Delhi residents know that AAP in its 49-day rule had brought corruption down by 50 per cent," he said. Talking about the future of AAP in Punjab after a poor show in byelections, he said, "We will contest the 2017 Assembly elections with preparedness and defeat the Congress and the SAD." He said the people of the state were fed up of the corruption and crime unleashed by the ruling government. Former SAD member Tarlochan Singh Tur, senior AAP leader Daljit Singh and a gathering of AAP workers and volunteers accompanied Chhotepur. Even as employees of the Information Centre at the Golden Temple did not present "siropa" to him, as is the norm during the visit of prominent leaders and other dignitaries, Tarlochan Singh Tur honoured him outside the
centre.
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struggle over control of Gurdwara Jandalisar
Bathinda, September 3 The “path” was held by Paramjit Singh Pamma of Kot Shamir village. Its “bhog” was scheduled at 10 am, but the administration deployed around 250 policemen and forced Pamma’s family to hold the “bhog” at 8 am. None of the villagers could attend the ceremony. The historical gurdwara was reportedly handed over to Sikh preacher Daduwal in 1998 by the panchayats of 11 villages. His followers are annoyed over the attempts of the SGPC to take over the shrine. They have planned to hold a number of “bhog” ceremonies in the gurdwara to maintain its possession. Pamma, son of a former sarpanch, said: “Every year we hold the ‘bhog’ at the gurdwara in memory of my mother. But this year, the police on directions of the state government forced us to hold the ceremony before its scheduled time.” Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, Superintendent of Police, Bathinda, denied the allegations. He said: “We have nothing to do with personal and religious ceremonies. But the police force was deployed in the morning as we had information of a likely law and order problem at the shrine. It is our duty to prevent such a situation.”
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Fiery Navjot chooses to keep low profile
Amritsar, September 3 His ties within the Punjab BJP as also with alliance partner SAD deteriorated after he took SAD leadership head on over alleged scuttling of his pet projects and was "consequently ousted" from Amritsar politics. Sidhu was not fielded from Amritsar in the recently held Lok Sabha elections without offering any credible reason despite him being a three-time MP from the constituency. While he claimed the party denied him the ticket for the Amritsar Lok Sabha seat, party leaders said it was he who declined to contest from Amritsar. He didn't even campaign for his political mentor Arun Jaitley, whom the BJP fielded in his place. Sidhu has neither made any public appearance nor spoken to the media ever since the declaration of the Lok Sabha election results that saw Jaitley biting the dust. Though Sidhu could not be contacted, his wife and Chief Parliamentary Secretary Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu said he kept visiting the holy city from time to time as he was busy with lending finishing touches to his new residence in the city. About the road ahead for him in Punjab politics, she said, "It is for the BJP to take a call as to where they wish to utilise his services. As far as he is concerned, he has never asked for anything from the party." Whether he would prefer to work for the party in Punjab after his bitter experience in the recent past, she said it did not matter and he would follow directions of the party. She further said, "Whatever we were saying at the time of the elections ultimately turned out to be true. Now that we have sensed the public mood, it is time to initiate corrective measures." About his commitment to the city that he often reiterated, she said he would certainly like to work for the betterment of Amritsar, but only after a decision on his role in the BJP. "Unless an individual is given some power, he would be unable to redress the problems of the people," she added. Despite her husband's political career taking a downturn in Punjab politics, Navjot Kaur has been quite active in her Amritsar (East) Assembly constituency. She could be seen inaugurating development projects or distributing grants to the people. "I am committed to the welfare of the people who voted for me. I would make all effort to improve their lives in every way possible in my capacity as their elected representative," she said.
Successor ‘inaccessible’, too
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Sukhbir’s ‘help’ accused of taking money for jobs
Chandigarh, September 3 The youths claimed that Dutta had introduced himself as Deputy Chief Minister’s personal assistant. They said they had documents and a phone recording to substantiate their charges. The Chandigarh police has recorded the statements of the youths who claimed they had paid money to Dutta through a woman on March 30, 2010. Dutta, employed at the Deputy Chief Minister’s house, takes care of his personal work. He admitted that he had met the three youths. He said they were brought to the house by a woman, Meena, who was from his village. He denied taking money from them or promising them jobs. He claimed that one of the youths, Vivek, and Meena had earlier given in writing that he (Dutta) had not taken money from anybody. Jangveer Singh, media adviser to the Deputy Chief Minister, said Dutta had nothing to do with the functioning of the government. “The youths should file a complaint with the police. A fair probe will decide if there was such a scam or not,” he said. Vivek Kumar, Loven Kumar, Gurpinder Singh from Gurdaspur and Mandeep Singh from Ropar alleged that Dutta and Meena had fleeced them on the pretext of getting them jobs. “We paid them money on March 30, 2010. After that we appeared for both physical fitness test and interview. But our names did not figure on the list of selected candidates. When confronted, Dutta and Meena told us that
we would get the job under the state DGP’s a special quota. But that did not happen.” Meena told The Tribune that she was a social worker. “I will defend myself before the police, if required,” she added.
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Conman Gill may be a pawn in bigger game plan
Chandigarh, September 3 The government has turned a blind eye to the role of policemen who may have helped Gill. Also, no effort has been made to identity investors and ascertain if they had invested black money. As the scam unfolded, five key players came to the fore. While Gill is in judicial custody, Inspector-General Gautam Cheema and Ajay Chaudhry, accused in a Jammu and Kashmir land scandal, are on the run. An FIR has been lodged against them for kidnapping a proclaimed offender, Sumedh Gulati, said to be Gill’s man. Gill’s wife Kricpy too is being questioned on the immigration company she worked with, Bharti Education and Immigration. “It is up to the government to order a special inquiry into the land deal. Only the government can order that the cases be clubbed for investigation,” said a senior police official. Besides Gautam and Ajay, IG Rakesh Chandra and Yashpal Gupta, father-in-law of a serving IPS officer, have invested in the housing society. They claim that IG Gautam had introduced them to Gill. The remaining investors do not wish to be identified, fearing they may have to explain their money source. Yashpal Gupta had lodged a complaint in Mohali in March, claiming that he had lost Rs 2 crore that he had invested in the society after he was promised a farmhouse. He has a certificate given to him by Gill. stating that he is the owner of Farmhouse No. 6, which doesn’t exist. It all started in early 2011. Investments were invited for the proposed Sky Heights Ltd, a 100-acre colony of up to 2.5 acre-farmhouses on the Chandigarh-Kurali road. Top police officials and a few doctors fell for the bait. Trouble started on May 5 when Chief Parliamentary Secretary Raj Khurana was arrested for receiving Rs 1.5 crore from a few persons. Gill was named a co-accused in the case. Gill’s estranged friend Rashmi says he was close to Khurana. Her father, Tarun Bahadur, worked for Khurana for some time. Rashmi, who claims to be a witness to the land deals, financial transactions and the making of forged documents, claims Gill was originally Rajesh Thapa son of Tarun Bahdur. He later became Rajesh Thapar, then Devinder Thapar and finally Devinder Gill, son of Meher Singh Gill. A married man, his ration card, issued in 2004, mentions his wife’s name as Shradha. It carries her pictures. Shradha’s whereabouts are not known. Rashmi accuses Gill of exploiting her financially, emotionally and physically on the promise of marriage. Gill’s present wife Kricpy Khaira, who belongs to Patiala, claims that Gill had divorced Shradha and that he is a pawn in a game played by Rashmi and some policemen. The police have lodged FIRs and counter-FIRs. Gill’s arrest by the Panchkula police on August 2 on Rashmi’s complaint opened the Pandora’s box. It was found the Punjab Police, on the directions of Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, had stalled investigations till a Vigilance inquiry initiated on Kricpy complaint that IG Gautam and others had kidnapped Gill and tortured him was completed. In mid August, the Punjab police gave the green signal to the Mohali police for resuming the investigations. Meanwhile, Ajay Chaudhary lodged an FIR against Gill in Chandigarh for forging documents and using multiple identities. Kricpy attempted suicide. Gill’s co-accused, Sumedh Gulati, who came to visit her in hospital, was nabbed by Mohali police. However, IG Gautam reached the spot and allegedly took him away. He was later booked for molesting Kricpy. A case was also registered against
Rashmi.
Several unanswered queries
My husband is being targeted by officers’ lobby, says IG’s wife
Complaints against me not linked to IG: Krispy "These complaints have nothing to do with the cases against IG Cheema" Krispy Khaira, Devinder Gill’s wife
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Power plant flooded, machinery submerged
Bathinda, September 3 The basement of the complex is flooded and the machinery submerged. Water has also entered the coal room at the TSPL Banawali, Mansa. The project hasn't started contributing electricity to the state pool yet. Around four-foot stagnant water can be seen in and around the plant complex. The authorities have reportedly declared five holidays at the plant. Mansa Deputy Commissioner Parveen Kumar Thind visited waterlogged villages today and ordered to drain out water as soon as possible. The DC said the complete drainage of water could take around three weeks. He claimed there had been no breach in the canal in the district. He, however, said there had been some negligence on the part of the Irrigation Department. "For the past two months, we have been asking the Irrigation Department to give its estimate about the number of workers needed to get distributaries cleaned, but to no avail. No breach in any distributary has occurred in the district. Water-logging has occurred due to the overflowing of water. The situation could have been controlled in time had there been a disaster management team in existence. Motors and pipes are also being installed to drain out water. Six suction tanks will reach here by midnight. The loss is being assessed," Thind said.
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Shortage of water in border segments triggers protest
Abohar, September 3 District Congress president Kuldeep Indora, who led the protest after addressing a meeting, said the areas fed by the Indira Gandhi canal were facing a drought-like condition. He said the state government had been assured by the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) that 12,500 cusecs of water would be released tonight through the Beas and the Sutlej but it would take over a week to deliver the same here. He urged the authorities to divide the canals emanating from the Indira Gandhi canal in three groups with revised regulatory system to ensure sufficient water for the next crop sowing season beginning October. Indora warned that the bugle for agitation would be sounded on September 15 if the new regulation was not fixed to meet the requirements of villages that had been waiting for canal water for the past two weeks. The meeting was also addressed by Gharsana block Congress president Subhash Chander Jakhar and Anoopgarh block Congress president Bhajan Lal Kamra. The protesters submitted a memorandum to the sub-divisional officer.
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34 teachers to be awarded
Chandigarh, September 3 When asked why not a single teacher was selected from Doaba region, Anjali Bhawra, Principal Secretary, School Education, said the awardees were selected after a thorough process. Dr Cheema said the awardees would be honoured with a cash amount of Rs 10,000, an appreciation letter, a meal and a one-year extension on service period. He said a three-member committee comprising Principal Secretary, Education, Anjali Bhawra, Director General School Education GK Singh and DPI (Secondary)
Kamal Garg chose the awardees from 95 short-listed teachers. The achievements were first examined by principals of their respective schools and then thoroughly inspected by committees at district levels under District Education Officers and then by
nine sub-state level committees. He said of the total 100 marks, 40 were allotted for the performance of the teachers’ students. He said the other parameters were ACR, educational qualification, academic achievements, character, contribution for the all-round development of school, attitude towards students and their parents, coordination
with village level committees, etc. He said that special marks were given for those who performed
their duty in odd circumstances.
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Hospitals, hotels don’t have to pay CLU fee
Chandigarh, September 3 Joshi had been at loggerheads with Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal and other Akali ministers over the matter. He had announced the exemption last month. His decision was criticised by Sukhbir and Finance Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa. A series of press notes were issued by Akali ministers claiming that Joshi had exempted the fee without state Cabinet's clearance. Later, the Deputy CM claimed that the fee was already withdrawn in 2009. The statement was soon revised to claim that the recommendation was made but not implemented. Later, Akalis claimed they had recommended the exemption in June, but Joshi stuck to his stand saying he would issue the orders after the the Talwandi Sabo byelection. As per the orders, the CLU has been withdrawn in the municipal limits as well as in 3-15 km radius of the towns or cities. The order will be implemented in Ludhiana within 15 km radius and Jalandhar within 10 km radius.
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Badal seeks Modi's help to bail out NAFED
Chandigarh, September 3 In a letter to Modi, Badal has requested him to intervene for ensuring financial restructuring of outstanding loans of the organisation or advise the public sector banks to undertake "one-time settlement" with it. Over the past few years, NAFED had borrowed funds from various public sector banks. The loans had turned into non-performing assets (NPAs) as the organisation did not have funds to repay these, the CM said. As on date, the total outstanding bank loans stood around Rs 1,800 crores, he added.
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SGPC defends move on kirtan by women
Amritsar, September 3 The colouring of hair was a gross violation of "rehat maryada" and any person doing so was declared "tankhaiyya" (guilty of religious misconduct). No such individual could, therefore, be allowed to perform "kirtan" at historic gurdwaras, he said. The women in question were repeatedly warned against dyeing their hair, but they didn't pay heed to it, he said. He alleged that by opposing the SGPC move, SAD Panch Pardhani leader Baldev Singh Sirsa was "merely resorting to a publicity stunt".
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Land auction put off, Dalits allege foul play
Sangrur, September 3 Joginder Kumar, District Development and Panchayat Officer (DDPO), Sangrur, said the BDPO’s report stated that a section of Dalits had been insisting that instead of auctioning the land, it should be sold to a handful of people at low rates. He said officials could not take this step as it was against the rules. He said the panchayat postponed the auction since the agitating bidders remained adamant. Narinder Nindi, district president of Krantikari Pendu Mazdoor Union, alleged the panchayat postponed the auction as it wanted to give the land to its own men.
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HC rejects candidate’s plea to shift to reserve category
Chandigarh, September 3 The ruling came on a petition by Jaspreet Singh against Baba Farid University and other respondents. In his petition, Jaspreet Singh had sought directions for considering his candidature as a ward of a riot victim. His contention was that he had applied only under the general category. But he came to know that a seat was still available for admission under the category of “a ward of a riot victim”. As such, he should be permitted to be considered to participate in the third counselling and seek admission under the category. Dismissing the petition, Justice Kannan added: “Even if such new applications were inconsistent with the original option exercised, we will be literally throwing open a flood gate of litigation in this process”.
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BJP activist booked for rape
Muktsar, September 3 She reportedly told the police that her late husband owned a rice mill in Gidderbaha. After his death, Bhangewala started looking after the business. “Bhangewala offered me a drink that made me unconscious. He then sexually abused me. He continued to do so for nearly three years,” she alleged. Sources said the police had started investigations into the matter. The accused is at large. Local residents claimed that the complainant had fallen out with the accused because of a money dispute.
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2 boys decamp with Rs 1.88 lakh from bank
Abohar, September 3 Within a few seconds, two motorcyclists raised an alarm as they witnessed two minor boys running out with the bag. Some people chased the boys but they had eloped by then.
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Liquor seized from farmhouse
Chandigarh, September 3 The FIR says Jawahar Singh was involved in illegal liquor trade. Hardial Singh Mann, Senior Superintendent of Police, said a case had been registered against the accused under the Excise Act.
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Chandigarh, September 3
Mohali: Sukhmani Cheema, wife of IGP Gautam Cheema, on Wednesday demanded that the cases registered against her husband be probed by an officer of the rank of ADGP or an IGP senior to her husband or an independent agency like the VB or the CBI. She alleged that her husband was being targeted by a lobby of state IPS officers. "This lobby is supporting a gang of criminals against whom various cases of fraud have been registered," Sukhmani alleged. She claimed that her husband was ready to join any investigation.
— TNS