J A L A N D H A R    E D I T I O N

Markfed DM caught taking bribe
Gurdaspur, January 19
Balwinder Pal Singh, district manager (DM), Markfed, Gurdaspur, was caught by a team of vigilance bureau taking bribe late this evening for releasing the payment of a commission agent in lieu of paddy procured through him in the just-concluded procurement season.

One held with 2.5 lakh fake currency, heroin
Amritsar, January 19
The interrogation of notorious Nepali smuggler who was arrested by the district police for possessing 7 kg of opium has led to revelation of important information regarding a number of dreaded smugglers active and operating alongside the Indo-Pak border.

Flow of sewage into Kali Bein stopped
Kapurthala, January 19
Environmentalist Baba Balbir Singh Seechewal and his supporters stopped the flow of sewage water of Lodhi Bhulana village and several colonies into the Kali Bein on Monday.

Baba Seechewal and his followers stop the flow of sewage of Lodhi Bhulana village and several colonies into the Kali Bein on Monday. Tribune photo: Pawan Sharma

Clerk gives VB team tough time
Hoshiarpur, January 19
A team of the Vigilance Department had to face some opposition during a raid at the office of Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Dasuya today. The team, led by their DSP Daljeet Singh, had gone there to nab a clerk Manohar Lal red-handed he would be accepting a bribe.

Swearing-in ceremony of Sukhbir
BJP chief, party CMs to participate
Amritsar, January 19
After being snubbed by the central leadership, the district unit of the BJP was forced to bury its differences with the coalition partner, which cropped up after the SAD (B) announced the candidature of Sukhbir Singh Badal as Deputy Chief Minister of the state.

PFUCTO to observe strike on Jan 22
Amritsar, January 19
With a view to impress upon the government to implement new UGC pay scale, the Punjab Federation of University and College Teachers Organisation (PFUCTO) would hold a two-hour strike and sit-in protest on January 22.

Public Awareness Week
LIC employees hold rally
Jalandhar, January 19
As part of the Public Awareness Week observations, members of the Northern Zone Insurance Employees Association held a rally in front of the divisional office of the LIC here today.

Markfed DM caught taking bribe
Chander Parkash/TNS

Gurdaspur, January 19
Balwinder Pal Singh, district manager (DM), Markfed, Gurdaspur, was caught by a team of vigilance bureau taking bribe late this evening for releasing the payment of a commission agent in lieu of paddy procured through him in the just-concluded procurement season.

Balwinder Pal Singh, who was caught by the vigilance team, led by DSP, Lakhbir Singh, surrendered the bribe money to them. The team of vigilance bureau came from Amritsar as the complainant Joginder Singh, a commission agent, had lodged his complaint in the office of the vigilance bureau in Amritsar.

Information gathered by TNS revealed that Joginder Singh was to take about Rs 12 lakh from the Markfed, Gurdaspur, in lieu of paddy procured through him by it in the paddy procurement season, which came to end by the mid of November, 2008.

When Balwinder Pal Singh started making a demand of bribe of Rs 25,000 from Joginder Singh, running a shop in Dhundia village of Qadian block of the district, in lieu of releasing his payment, he struck a deal with him. In the deal, it was decided that Joginder Singh would pay Rs 20,000 as bribe money to Balwinder Pal Singh.

Today when Joginder Pal Singh paid Rs 20,000 to Balwinder Pal Singh, the latter gave him a cheque for Rs 5.6 lakh as a part payment of the total amount, which Joginder Singh was entitled to take from the Markfed in lieu of paddy procured through him.

Immediately after Balwinder took the bribe money, sleuths of the vigilance bureau entered his official room and asked him to handover the bribe money to them. Balwinder Pal Singh, who had placed the currency notes in a cupboard, handed over the same to the vigilance bureau sleuths. Lakhbir Singh, DSP, when contacted, said a case had been registered against Balwinder Pal Singh under the Prevention of Corruption Act at vigilance bureau police station, Amritsar. The search of the house of the accused was being carried out.

One held with 2.5 lakh fake currency, heroin
P.K. Jaiswar
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, January 19
The interrogation of notorious Nepali smuggler who was arrested by the district police for possessing 7 kg of opium has led to revelation of important information regarding a number of dreaded smugglers active and operating alongside the Indo-Pak border.

Meanwhile, the police on the information gathered during the interrogation of interstate drug trafficker Gabbar Shah, a resident of Nishta village, Anchal Lahaian, Nepal, today held Dilbagh Singh, alias Baga, and recovered 500 gram of heroin worth Rs 2.50 crore in the international market, besides Rs 2.5 lakh of fake Indian currency from him. The consignment was smuggled from across the border. The fake currency also came from Pakistan.

Although, Baga, a native of border village Cheema Kalan, falling under Sarai Amanat Khan police station, had no previous police record, but during his interrogation it has come to light that he had succeeded to smuggle about 21 kg of heroin to Ludhiana and other parts of the state.

Kunwar Vijay Partap Singh, district police chief, said the information collected could help the police in controlling the drug menace as majority of these smugglers smuggle the narcotics in the city and other parts of the state with the help of couriers. He said steps were being taken to nab the traffickers who had been identified during the interrogation of Gabbar Shah.

It is pertinent to mention here that Gabbar Shah was nabbed with 7.5 kg of opium near Anngarh area on December 27, 2008, and a case under various sections of the NDPS Act was registered at C-Division police station against him. During investigations he disclosed his close links with the smugglers of the border area.

Flow of sewage into Kali Bein stopped
Tribune News Service

Kapurthala, January 19
Environmentalist Baba Balbir Singh Seechewal and his supporters stopped the flow of sewage water of Lodhi Bhulana village and several colonies into the Kali Bein on Monday.

Amidst chanting of religious slogans, Baba Seechewal and his supporters plugged the outlet of the sewage pipeline with sandbags at the bridge over the Bein near Hussainpur village.

On the occasion, Baba Seechewal said the Lodhi Bhulana village panchayat had been forbidden about a week back from putting the sewage water into the Bein but they did not do so.

The district magistrate in his orders under section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code had forbidden the panchayat from putting the sewage water into the Bein, he said, adding that the district administration had also provided the village panchayat the grant for digging up a pond to put sewage into it instead of putting the same into the Kali Bein.

Clerk gives VB team tough time

Swearing-in ceremony of Sukhbir
BJP chief, party CMs to participate
Neeraj Bagga
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, January 19
After being snubbed by the central leadership, the district unit of the BJP was forced to bury its differences with the coalition partner, which cropped up after the SAD (B) announced the candidature of Sukhbir Singh Badal as Deputy Chief Minister of the state.

Now not only BJP president Rajnath Singh, two chief ministers among other party leaders would be coming down to Amristar for the swearing-in ceremony of Sukhbir Singh Badal but the district unit has pledged its full presence during the event.

In a hurriedly called news conference here today, district BJP president Col Amrik Singh (retd) said members of the district unit of the party would participate in full strength in the swearing-in ceremony on January 21.

He said since the ceremony was being held here, the local unit of the party felt it was its greater responsibility to congratulate the Akali president on his ascendance to the coveted post.

The district president was accompanied by Mayor Shwet Malik, Raj Mohinder Singh Chhina and others.

Amrik said party president Rajnath Singh, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh, Balbir Punj, in charge BJP affairs in Punjab, among other senior leaders of the party would participate in the ceremony.

He informed that local MP Navjot Singh Sidhu would lead the district unit of the party while arrival of L.K Advani, BJP’s prime ministerial candidate in forthcoming parliamentary elections, and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi were not yet confirmed.

Meanwhile, Amrik said Sukhbir Singh Badal had extended invitation to every BJP chief minister seeking their participation.

PFUCTO to observe strike on Jan 22

Amritsar, January 19
With a view to impress upon the government to implement new UGC pay scale, the Punjab Federation of University and College Teachers Organisation (PFUCTO) would hold a two-hour strike and sit-in protest on January 22.

Besides, its members would proceed on mass casual leave and would hold a rally in Chandigarh on January 28.

Dr S.S. Dhillon, president, PFUTCO, said the new pay scale was notified by the ministry of human resource and development on December 31 last. He said their repeated representation failed to elicit any response from the state government.

He said the Centre would bear 80 per cent of the liability arising out of pay revision for the period from January 1, 2006, to March 31, 2010. He felt that the state government was required to implement the scheme of pay scales as a composite scheme to avail the financial assistance from the central government. — TNS

Public Awareness Week
LIC employees hold rally
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, January 19
As part of the Public Awareness Week observations, members of the Northern Zone Insurance Employees Association held a rally in front of the divisional office of the LIC here today.

The association members demanded that the UPA government should withdraw the insurance amendment bill, pending in Parliament, in the larger interest of the country and the general public.

Addressing the gathering, divisional secretary of the association Surjit Ram questioned that why the central government was adamant on handing over the control of the people’s savings to the failed foreign insurance companies by passing the bill.

He emphasised the role of the LIC of India, public sector insurance company, in the country’s development. He claimed that the LIC had made a contribution of Rs 4,69,199 crore in various projects of national development like roads, railways, power generation, housing, water supply, sewerage and many others.

The week was being observed by holding seminars, conventions, demonstrations, dharnas and other activities, he claimed. Those who addressed the rally included Ved Kumar, Rakesh Hastir, I.D. Chopra, Rajinder Kumar and Rajneesh Sehgal.