AGRICULTURE

Dharna by farm technocrats
Tribune News Service

Addressing the rally staged in front of the mini secretariat, Dr Daler Singh, Dr Ajit Singh Goraha, Dr Charanjit Sing, Dr Rajinder Singh Aulakh and Balwinder Bulaher criticised the government for imposing a non-technocrat as Director of Agriculture, Punjab, ignoring the claims of senior agricultural technocrats of the department. They urged the government to issue a notification rectifying its November 28, 2000, letter. They said that the Chief Minister at a high-powered committee meeting on December 8, 2000, had promised to rectify it, but till date it had not come out in black and white.

COURTS

Murder case accused acquitted
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 26
Mr S.S. Arora, Sessions Judge, Ludhiana, has acquitted Somnath, a resident of Bhagwan Dass Colony, Salem Tabri, of the charges of kidnapping and murdering Manjit Singh of Patiala, for want of evidence.

According to prosecution, the accused kidnapped Manjit Singh from his uncle's residence in Ludhiana on May 9, 1998, and later murdered him.

An FIR was lodged against the accused at Sadar police station on July 10, 1998, under Sections 364 and 302 of the IPC by the uncle of the deceased, Prithipal Singh, Inspector, Police academy, Phillaur, wherein it was alleged that the deceased had illicit relations with the mother of the accused. When this fact came to the knowledge of Somnath, he allegedly murdered Manjit Singh.

3 acquitted in dowry death case
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 26
Mr A.K. Sharma, additional sessions judge, Ludhiana, acquitted Rajpal Singh, his mother Balwant Kaur, father Harmel Singh of Kotla shamspur village, in the dowry death case of Harjit Kaur, as charges levelled against them could not be proved.

An FIR was registered against these persons on May 7, 2000, at Samrala police station under sections 406 and 498-A of the IPC on the statement of the father of the deceased, Mr Balwinder Singh of Khatran village.

Harjit Kaur died on May 9, 2000, at the DMC Hospital, Ludhiana, allegedly after taking some poisonous substance 15 months after her marriage. After death of Harjit Kaur, the police also added Section 304-B of the IPC in the FIR.

The father of the deceased had complained to the police that his daughter was married to the accused on February 7,1999, and sufficient dowry was given at the time of the marriage. But the accused allegedly maltreated her and demanded more dowry. Due to unending torture and compelled by circumstances, she consumed poison.

2-yr sentence for forging RC, driving licences
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 26
Mrs Sukwinder Kaur, Judicial Magistrate, First Class, has convicted Kewal Krishan, a typist of old courts, Ludhiana, and sentenced him to undergo imprisonment for two years, besides a fine of Rs 1000 on charges of forging driving licences and registration certificates of vehicles.

The accused was booked under Sections 420/467/471 of the IPC on the complaint of one Ram Dass.

Ram Dass had complained to the police that in July 1995 when he approached the accused for preparing a driving licence, the latter asked for payment of Rs 450 besides relevant documents. After getting the payment and documents, the accused handed over the driving licence, allegedly issued by the DTO, Ludhiana.

However, suspecting the validity of the driving licence issued, he approached the District Transport Office, Ludhiana.

There he came to know that no such licence was ever issued by the licencing authority, Ludhiana. Thereafter, on the statement of the complainant, the police nabbed the accused.

The police also recovered eight registration certificates with the forged stamp of DTO, Ludhiana, eight registration certificates having forged stamp of the DTO, Kapurthala, six blank copies of driving licences, 10 blank RC and 15 receipts of the DTO, Ludhiana.