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TOP STORIES

CM hints at action against Badal family
Ludhiana, May 3
The Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, today gave hints of initiating action against the former Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, and his family members, for being allegedly involved in corruption during the past five years. He said, the government was collecting details and it would not be long before action against them was initiated.

Shamsher to throw light on PPSC affairs?
ISSUANCE of non-bailable warrants for the second time in the PPSC recruitment scam against him notwithstanding, Shamsher Singh, a pharmacist with the Punjab Animal Husbandry Department, wants his leave to be extended to May 14 so that he can continue his pilgrimage.

• Sidhu’s remand upheld

• Police remand till May 7 for Dhira

Chhina faces fresh case
Amritsar, May 3
The Vigilance Department is finding it difficult to decode the ‘secret diary’ of Surinderpal Singh Chhina, Managing Director, Central Cooperative Bank, who has recorded the ‘bribe’ taken for providing jobs to prospective candidates in coded words.

Price of exposing corrupt
JE faces charge sheet
Bathinda, May 3
The anti-corruption drive launched by state Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh suffered a major setback when the Chief Engineer (Drainage), Irrigation Department, ordered the Superintendent Engineer (SE), Sirhind Circle, Ludhiana, for preparing a charge sheet against Mr Tirath Singh Brar, Junior Engineer (JE), who exposed the irrigation scam running into crores of rupees allegedly by senior officials and the then ruling party politicians.

Another wheat scam in Markfed
Branch Manager, others face action
Ferozepore, May 3
Even as the dust raised by the multi-crore scam of wheat procurement during 2001-2002 in the Guru Har Sahai branch of Markfed in Ferozepore district is yet to settle down, another scam running into lakhs of rupees in the same branch of the Asia’s biggest co-operative society has come to light.

Honouring of Chohan stopped
Chandigarh, May 3
The plan to honour the controversial Sikh leader and former Deputy Speaker, Dr Jagjit Singh Chohan, who once was known as the ideologue of “Khalistan”, had to be shelved by the authorities concerned in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha today following a telephone call from the Congress high command in Delhi.

POLITICS

• Notification of MC poll on May 6
  

COMMUNITY

Raj Babbar, son seek Guru’s blessings Amritsar, May 3 Though he cannot speak chaste Punjabi, yet Mr Arya Babbar, son of famous actor parents Raj and Nadira Babbar pledged to make one Punjabi film every year without charging a single pie. The father son duo was here to seek blessings at Harmander Sahib before the release of Arya’s first movie “Ab Ke Baras” on May 10. Film star Raj Babbar and his actor son, Arya Babbar, who paid a visit to the Golden Temple to seek the blessings of the Almighty before the release of the latter’s first film “Ab Ke Baras”. — Photo Rajiv Sharma

Malta tragedy: guilty ‘will be’ punished
Hoshiarpur, May 3
The delegation of the Malta Boat Tragedy Probe Mission led by Mr Balwant Singh Khera, returned from Europe after attending court cases, meeting with ministers, Government officials and mediapersons. Other members of the delegation were Mr Harbhajan Singh, S. Amritpal Singh and Mr Dinesh Kumar.

Four patwaris sacked
Chandigarh, May 3
The Deputy Commissioner of Kapurthala, Mr Rakesh K. Verma, has dismissed four patwaris — Baljinderjit Singh, Sarwan Singh, Balwant Singh and Baljinder Singh — from service and has issued a show-cause notice for dismissal to Sukhjit Pal Singh.

Another case against Baba Bhaniara
Ropar, May 3
The police has slapped another case under Section 295-A of the IPC against Baba Piara Singh Bhaniara for directing his followers to revive the activities of his cult.

One-day remand for Kairon’s confidant
Amritsar, May 3
Puran Chand, a close aide of Mr Surinder Singh Kairon, relative of former Chief Minister, was granted one-day remand by the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr Kishore Kumar, here today.

Recruitment rally for rural youth
Kharar, May 3
Mr Jagmohan Singh Kang, Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development, Fisheries, Sports and Youth Services Minister, Punjab, attended the Centre for Training and Employment of Punjab Youth (C-PYTE) recruitment rally at Kurali today.

PWD workers’ union seeks wheat loan
Bathinda, May 3
The Field and Workers Union of the PWD has urged the state government to give loan for purchasing wheat to all employees on the pattern of Haryana.

Condition of Giani’s wife improving
Faridkot, May 3
The condition of Mrs Pradhan Kaur (85), wife of former president, the late Giani Zail Singh, is improving. She was reported to have developed an acute renal failure following pneumonia earlier this week. She is under medical observation at their native Sidhwan village, near here.

• Punjabi novel released
  

AGRICULTURE

Agencies halt wheat procurement
Fazilka, May 3
Out of the four government wheat procuring agencies, Punjab Agro Industries, Markfed and Punsup have suddenly stopped purchase of wheat from the grain market here. The fourth agency, FCI, alone has been left in the market. Punjab agro and PUnsup had stopped procurement about three days back. Markfed stopped all purchases yesterday.

ADMINISTRATION

Two IAS, 7 PCS officers shifted
Chandigarh, May 3
The Punjab Government today transferred two IAS and seven PCS officers. Mr Kulbir Singh Sidhu has been posted as Special Secretary, Irrigation Department, and Mr Harjit Singh has been sent to the State Election Commission as its Secretary.

Nodal agency set up to develop Patiala
SAS Nagar, May 3
To develop Patiala as a counter- magnet under the National Capital Region, the Punjab Government today constituted the Patiala Urban Planning and Development Authority. The new body, enjoying all the powers and functions of the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority, will be the nodal agency to undertake development of Patiala city and its adjoining areas.

CRIME

Kin of ex-Speaker found murdered
Khanna, May 3
A kin of a former Speaker of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Mr Surjit Singh Minhas, was reportedly murdered last night. The deceased has been identified as Harnaginder Singh Minhas (48). His body was found at a kutcha path near Khanna Khurd village and his scooter was parked nearby. Injuries by sharpedged weapons were found on his head.

ASI arrested on bribe charge
Hoshiarpur, May 3
The Jalandhar Vigilance Bureau has arrested a Punjab Police ASI on charges of taking a bribe. A police report today said here today that ASI Balbir Singh, posted at Mahilpur police station, was arrested during a raid last night.

EDUCATION

Syndics felicitate varsity on centre
Amritsar, May 3
The Syndicate of Guru Nanak Dev University which met here today unanimously felicitated the university authorities on being selected by the university authorities on being selected by the University Grants Commission for Centre of Ecellence in Sports Sciences. The university would get a grant of Rs 30 crore for this centre, with an installment of Rs 5 crore having already been received.

Front’s plea to varsity faculty
Patiala, May 3
The Teachers United Front (TUF) today said it was extremely perturbed over the appearance of statements in the Press in the name of its member and a Punjabi University teacher, Dr Ravi Kiran Singh.

Students seek FIR against Principal
Amritsar, May 3
Even as the strike of teachers and students at Sri Laxmi Narayan Ayurvedic College entered its 21st day today, students in a press conference today requested the Governor and Chancellor of the Baba Farid University of Health Sciences to terminate the officiating Principal of the college, Dr D.C. Panday, and Vice-Principal, Dr Vibhakar Sharma.