Ludhiana, March 6
The Vigilance Bureau (VB) has given a clean chit to the Local Bodies Director on the charges of helping a coloniser, husband of an MC councillor, for declaring private roads as public and allegedly causing loss of Rs 4 crore to the state exchequer.

THe VB's recommendations for the cancellation of the FIR were today accepted by the court of Sessions Judge SP Bangarh when the complainant of the FIR DSP Gurcharan Singh made statement that he was having no objection if the FIR was cancelled.

Apart from Local Bodies Director SK Sharma (former MC Commissioner Ludhiana), Senior Town Planner Balkar Singh Brar, Assistant Town Planner Kanwaljit Kaur and the director of Veer Colonisers have also been given clean chit. Earlier, they were booked under Sections 420, 467, 468, 471 and 120-B of the IPC and Section 13 (D) of the Prevention of Corruption Act at the Vigilance Bureau Ludhiana in the first week of March 2009.

Interestingly, DSP Gurcharan Singh of the VB had got registerd the FIR at the VB after conducting an enquiry. But now he gave a statement before the court that he was having no objection in the cancellation of the case, as the matter had been probed by the headquarters of the VB at Chandigarh.

The investigation at the headquarters was conducted by DSP Mohan Lal with the orders of Director, VB Sumedh Singh Saini. None of the accused had filed any anticipatory bail application in the case.

According to an FIR registered by the VB, the officials allegedly declared the roads of a colony developed by Veer Coloniers public without taking development charges and throwing to wind all norms. A drain passing through the city, too, was covered without even informing the drainage department and levelled land worth crores was passed on to the coloniser.

It was alleged that the roads and streets were declared public under Section 242 without taking money for the state exchequer. As per rules, the action should have been taken under Section 241. This allegedly caused a loss of Rs 4 crore to the state exchequer.

The FIR states that ATP Kanwaljit, too, accepted bribe for giving reports in contravention of rules. No publication announcing the development was made in any newspaper. Local Bodies Director, Sharma, too, was accused of flouting the norms to favour the coloniser. But after inquiry, the VB has held that no charges were proved against the ATP Kanwaljit Kaur.

Ludhiana, March 6
Principal Secretary, Local Bodies, C Raul, has asked the municipal corporation here to spend on various development projects keeping their own resources in mind.

He has said efforts should be made by the MC to generate more resources so that the state government does not cut the sanctioned budget, as was done last time.

Raul was in the city today to conduct a survey on various ongoing projects related to the MC, the improvement trust and the sewerage board.

He stated that the MC must spend wisely on several ongoing projects and the least burden should be put on the state government.

On the fake bill scam, Raul refused to divulge details but said an inquiry was on and the truth would come out after the submission of the report. He said that nothing could be finalised on property tax.

Accompanied by officials of the MC, the improvement trust and the sewerage board, Raul conducted a survey of various ongoing projects in the city. He visited the Rani Jhansi Road to see the LIT complex.

Work on the Lakkar Bridge was also surveyed. The Gill Road flyover and the Giaspura Housing Project for weaker sections were also visited. Satisfied with the projects, he asked the authorities to speed up work.

Ludhiana, March 6
The city police claimed to have cracked a murder case by nabbing a man who killed his elder brother following a property dispute.

Currently in police custody, Talvinder (32), was cursing the moment when he committed the crime.

Talvinder, a resident of Sarinh, killed his brother Darshan Singh in a fit of rage after the latter accused him of removing an iron gate from his house.

He told the police that someone had deliberately removed the gate installed at the residence of his elder brother, knowing that it would lead to confrontation between the two brothers.

DSP Narinderpal Singh said the accused was nabbed following a tip-off.

Victim Darshan Singh and Talvinder Singh, alias Billu, sons of a farmer Mall Singh of Sarinh, were at loggerheads over the transfer of a small piece of agricultural land.

The parents were reportedly siding with Billu. It is learnt that some relatives were adding fuel to fire and were instigating both groups, which ultimately resulted in the death of the elder brother.

The incident took pace on the evening of February 26, when Darshan Singh had gone to his workshop in the city.

According to the police, Billu allegedly dismantled the gate fixed at the main entrance to his house.

Ludhiana, March 6
“Avant Garde-2010”, the fourth annual function of the Sportking Institute of Fashion Technology (SIFT), wrapped in myriad hues and vibrant SIFTIANs, was organised at Guru Nanak Bhawan here today.

Deputy Speaker of Vidhan Sabha Satpal Gosain was the chief guest.

The SIFT students mesmerised the audience with their innovative creations presented by charismatic young men and graceful girls on the ramp.

The event was a festival of drama, dance and music. The creative SIFTIANs, apart from displaying their creations, also presented a touching tale of “lost childhood”, bringing alive on stage, the pathos and poignant story of the underprivileged children. This emotional performance moved every single person in the audience.

A fantastic presentation by Sanchit redrafted the adage “Where there is a will, there is a way”.

The power-packed performance brought forth, strong emotions in many-a-heart.

Pseudo Gurus, the so-called “dhongi babas” are slowly and steadily eating into the very plinth of society. The students, through a play “Baba Ghot Ghotala”, tried to enlighten the audience about the trap that they lay to befool the innocent.

The stage was set on fire when young boys and girls of the institute swayed to the tunes of foot-tapping beats in “flexibility personified”.

A spellbinding Salsa performance brought Queba alive on the stage.

The venue resounded with “dhol” and “boliyan”, in a befitting tribute to the rich Punjabi culture.

Prize distribution was also held wherein the hardwork of the students was appreciated by the management. The chief guest gave meritorious students trophies. 

Jagraon, March 6
Manpreet Singh Ayali, Chairman, Zila Parishad, Ludhiana, handed over a grant worth Rs 15 lakh to sarpanch Paramjit Singh and others of Sidhwan Bet village near here yesterday evening.

The basic of the government is to uplift the rural infrastructure and provide basic amenities in the rural areas.

Out of this, Rs 5 lakh is to be spent on construction and repair of streets, sewage lines and sanitation. Rs 10 Lakh is for renovating a village pond under the natural treatment plant system.

Ayali said the grant was being released to complete the pending developmental works undertaken in the village. 

Mullanpur Dakha, March 6
A shopkeeper, who was unable to sustain himself, tried to commit suicide by piercing a screwdriver into his chest. The shopkeeper, who was also an active social worker, took this extreme step, as he was unable to run his business successfully.

Harsharan Singh, an electrician by profession, also runs an electrician shop near the local post office here. Son of a retired PSEB official Harsharan Singh was getting regular pocket money from his father to pay the rent and bear other expenses. They had paid even paid fees of a computer centre so that he could switch over to some other trade. Married for just one year, he spent all money and did not paid the rent to landlord Bakshish Singh.

On Thursday afternoon, Bakshish Singh visited his shop and demanded Rs 12,000 of the pending rent. The shop was rented at Rs 1,300 per month. Unable to pay the rent he tried to seek excuse on some pretext but the landlord threatened to visit his parents to realize the rent. With the feeling of guilt and unable to face the family Harsharan Singh locked himself in the shop and pierced a screwdriver in his chest to commit suicide.

Another shopkeeper sensed the trouble and broke open the shutter of his shop. He was rushed to a hospital. He condition is stated to be stable. 

Ludhiana, March 6
Seema, a student of BA Ist year, was declared the best athlete in the 40th annual athletics meet organised at Ramgarhia Girls College, Miller Ganj, here today.

A large number of participants vied for top positions in various disciplines besides fun games. Banita hogged limelight by annexing two titles. She emerged victorious in the 100m-sprint as well as in the 200m-race.

Ranjodh Singh, president, Ramgarhia Educational Complex, inaugurated the meet. Students took part in an impressive march out, followed by PT show and aerobics. Manmohan Kaur, officiating principal, read out the annual report highlighting the achievements of students in different tournaments.

Results: 100m-race: Banita 1st, Gurpreet Kaur 2nd, Seema 3rd; 200m-race: Banita 1st, Seema 2nd, and Gurpreet Kaur 3rd; 400m-race: Gurpreet Kaur 1st, Harpreet Kaur 2nd and Ramanjeet Kaur 3rd.

Trolley race: Ramanjeet Kaur and Harpreet Kaur 1st, Navneet Kaur and Harjinder Kaur 2nd and Amanpreet Kaur and Jaspreet Kaur 3rd; Spoon and potato race: Manpreet Kaur 1st, Jyoti 2nd and Pooja 3rd; Skipping on the spot: Babita 1st, Laxmi 2nd and Amandeep Kaur3rd; Chatti race: Karamjeet Kaur 1st, Payal 2nd and Pawandeep Kaur 3rd; Three-legged race: Jaspreet Kaur and Gurpreet Kaur 1st, Nirmaljeet Kaur and Ramanjeet Kaur 2nd and Manpreet Kaur and Preeti 3rd.