Cong not to support corrupt leaders: Dullo
Chandigarh, April 19
Punjab Pradesh Congress committee president Shamsher Singh Dullo today said the party would not stand by any of its corrupt leaders. However, if the SAD-BJP government targeted any party worker, the Congress would extend full support to him or her, including the provision of legal and other assistance.

Dullo to continue as PPCC chief
Jalandhar April 19
All-India Congress Committee chief Sonia Gandhi and in charge of the Punjab affairs of the Congress Janardhan Dwivedi have directed Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee chief Shamsher Singh Dullo to continue as the party’s president in Punjab.

ASF fails to get Duleep Singh’s bust
Amritsar, April 19
The Anandpur Sahib Foundation has failed in its bid to procure the bust of Maharaja Duleep Singh, the auction of which was held at Bonhams, London today. Avtar Singh Makkar, SGPC president, said the rare sculpture of Duleep Singh was auctioned for Rs 14 crore and the ASF had given a bid of only Rs 1 crore.

Police to bring Paramjeet on production warrant Fatehgarh Seikri (Kapurthala), April 19 The Punjab police has decided to bring Paramjeet Kaur to Kapurthala on a production warrant to question her in the high-profile case on human trafficking. Paramjeet Kaur’s mother Mohinder Kaur at her house in Feroz Sanghowal village in Kapurthala district on Thursday. — Tribune photo by Pawan Sharma

Sale of prestige whisky at all-time high
Chandigarh, April 19
The excise policy introduced in Punjab last year has led to a 50 per cent rise in liquor sales. With the sale of liquor in the prestige whisky segment having gone up by 89 per cent in the past year, most liquor companies are now launching new brands in this segment .

Wildlife board members under scanner
Patiala, April 19
The wildlife advisory board, whose members happened to be close to former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, has come under government scanner. Funds from Japan bank-aided project were allegedly used by board members for making national and international trips by circumventing the rules laid down by the government.

POLITICS

Cong men boycott SSP’s meeting
Abohar, April 19
Congress workers boycotted the maiden meeting of the new SSP, Dinesh Partap Singh, held here yesterday evening as the organisers had neither invited the municipal council president nor the city congress president even when the sub-divisional authorities were using the municipal town hall to develop sweet relationship with the public.

Kewal Dhillon’s election challenged
Barnala, April 19
After losing to Congress nominee Kewal Singh Dhillon in the recently conducted Punjab Assembly elections with a small margin of 1,453 votes, outgoing MLA (SAD) Malkeet Singh Keetu has challenged his election from Barnala constituency. He has filed a writ petition in the high court in this regard.

COMMUNITY

Probe ordered into blood transfusion death
Pathankot, April 19
In less than 24 hours after The Tribune highlighted the doctors-chemists nexus that claimed a life at civil hospital, Pathankot, the civil surgeon, Gurdaspur has ordered an independent inquiry.

Information commission imposes penalty on officials
Patiala, April 19
Taking serious view of apathy of the information officers of the Patiala municipal corporation, the state information commission has imposed financial penalty on them.

COURTS

Claim Case
Attachment of PRTC pump ordered
Sangrur, April 19
In a case of non-payment of an amount of Rs 3.03 lakh by Pepsu Road Transport Corporation to Paramjit Kaur and her minor children in a motor accident claim case, the court of D.S. Malwai, Motor Accident Claims Tribunal here, has ordered the attachment of a PRTC’s diesel pump and diesel tank (situated inside the PRTC’s workshop here) as per the list of property, filed by claimants to the tribunal.

AGRICULTURE

Lakhowal for Rs 1,140 as MSP for wheat
Hoshiarpur, April 19
Farmers of Punjab are facing a financial crisis and 89 per cent of them are under heavy debt, of which 13 per cent are facing starvation. This was stated by Ajmer Singh Lakhowal, chairman, Punjab Mandi Board, while talking to mediapersons at the office of the Market Committee here this afternoon.

ADMINISTRATION

Assault case
Police post in charge suspended
Batala, April 19
Taking a serious note of the incident in which certain police personnel assaulted an elderly woman of Dahiya village, resulting in her death, the Punjab police has placed Udhanwal police post in charge Palwainder Singh under suspension. Six other cops, who were accompanying the in charge, have been sent to the police lines.

CRIME

Kidnappers booked after 1 yr
Tarn Taran, April 19
Surjit Singh of Akbarpur village, falling under police station Bhikhiwind, was successful in booking the alleged kidnappers last night who are said to be responsible for kidnapping his nephews one year back. The warrant officer appointed by the Punjab and Haryana high court released the kidnapped trio.

Ex-sarpanch, son booked for raping minor
Amritsar, April 19
In a shocking incident a 16-year-old girl of Balgan village was allegedly kidnapped and raped by a former sarpanch of the area and his two sons on March 13. However, the case came to light on Tuesday when the girl lodged a complaint against Rajwinder Singh, his brother Buta Singh, and their father Trilok Singh, a former sarpanch of the village.

Call girl racket busted
Phillaur, April 19
The Phillaur police today busted a call girl racket operating in and around the city. The operation was carried out late last night and nine call girls and nine youths were arrested from a local hotel here but were let off later after a warning.

Man found murdered
Amritsar, April 19
Pappu, a resident of the Gwal Mandi area, was found murdered in the main bazaar here yesterday. Investigations have been initiated after registering a case. According to sources, several persons killed him by hitting his head with bricks.