Bathinda, March 29
After wading through a lot of hurdles, the multi-crore worth property — Blue Fox — has finally come into the Bathinda Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) kitty.

The Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB) officials, who were adamant on not returning the property till the BMC repaid the loan of Rs 40 crore, today agreed to get the property transferred in the name of the BMC, with the condition that the BMC would repay the loan after selling the property.

It may be recalled that the BMC had transferred the land in question “Blue Fox”, measuring about 22,000 square yard, in the name of the PIDB on January 12, 2008, with the aim of selling it at a higher price. Acting upon the directions, the PIDB put it for auction for March 12, 2008, with a reserve price of Rs 50,000 per square yard.

Meanwhile, a writ petition was filed in the High Court and the auction committee withdrew the process giving the excuse that the bid was much below than the expected amount.

Later, the BMC got an advance loan of Rs 40 crore for the city beautification project from the PIDB, which had to be deducted from the income generated out of the sale of the property.

After spending the loan amount, the BMC needed more loan, for which they had submitted an affidavit in the HC mentioning their requirements related to basic amenities, which the HC refused to allow unless complete details regard to utilisation of the funds was provided.

Meanwhile, the BMC officials urged the PIDB to return the property and assured to repay the debt. Getting a nod from them, the BMC officials filed an affidavit in the High Court to allow them to get the property back from the PIDB, stating that they could fetch a higher amount if they sell the property on their own.

Convinced over the plea, the HC directed the PIDB to return the land and recover the loan amount from the BMC.

However, when the BMC officials recently asked the PIDB officials to get the mutation changed in the name of the BMC, the latter denied until they received the loan amount and a sum of Rs 14.35 lakh, which the PIDB had spent to pay consultancy fee.

Finding themselves in a fix to arrange such a huge amount without having any source, the BMC authorities urged the PIDB officials to allow the change of mutation with an assurance to repay the loan once the property was sold.

Accepting the request of BMC officials, the PIDB officials today allowed getting the mutation in the BMC’s name. Immediately after receiving the documents, the BMC officials applied for the same.

Avtar Singh, Tehsildar, Bathinda, said, “We have received the documents. Once verification is completed, the property will be transferred in the name of BMC.”

Bathinda, March 29
On the one hand, the state government is finding it tough to cope with the financial crisis while on the other, the district education officers (DEOs) throughout the state have not utilised the funds already released, which would lapse as the current financial year ends on March 31.

According to sources in the Education Department, the state government had released statewide grants to all DEOs for completing the pre-project activities of the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA), a project sponsored by the Union and state governments.

The total grant issued was Rs 80.50 lakh, which was to be utilised by all districts to complete pre-project activities like surveys and data collection along with purchase of computers, printers, stationary and basic furniture for staff put on task etc.

However, none of the 20 DEOs could fully utilise the sanctioned amount. Ironically, over half of the funds are lying unutilised.

According to the details procured, the District Education Office, Patiala, remained last in spending the grant as it could utilise only Rs 82,482 out of the released funds of Rs 4.45 lakh. The DEO, Mohali, followed with spending Rs 94,015 out of Rs 3.21 lakh.

Observing the expansion of Ludhiana district, it was given the maximum grant of Rs 6.36 lakh. But as per the latest report, it still has an amount of 4.88 lakh lying unutilised. The same is with the DEO Jalandhar where out of Rs 5.65 lakh, about Rs 4.10 lakh are on the verge of being lapsed.

The details further show that Rs 2.41 lakh lying with the Bathinda DEO may lapse at the month end. Further, an amount of Rs 2.22 lakh lying with Amritsar and Rs 2.98 lakh with Ferozepur will also trail off.

Confirming the facts, Director General School Education (DGSE), Punjab, Krishan Kumar maintained, “Taking a serious notice of the issue, I have directed all DEOs to immediately return the funds to the RMSA today. We will not allow a single penny to lapse. The amount will be used at state level in purchasing of computers and printers, which will further be directly supplied to the cluster schools under the RMSA.”

Fazilka, March 29
The abuse of law, falsehood, political vendetta and cheating by a person alleged to have been kidnapped and killed but later found alive in the same village and produced in the court by police may appear to be a scene from some Bollywood film.

However, it is a stark reality which cost dearly an affluent farmer, his aged father, a police ASI and five others who had to undergo police and judicial custody and other harassment for a ‘crime’ which they had not committed.

The victims had to face litigation for about 13 years. Ultimately, all the accused have been declared innocent and stand absolved of the charges by the CBI court of Patiala and the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Narrating his tale of agony, an affluent farmer, Anil Singhmar of village Dharmpura, while talking to this correspondent here revealed that on April 26 1997, Santro Devi, wife of his former tenant Shankar Lal, accused him and his father Atma Ram, assistant sub-inspector of the Punjab Police Gurtej Singh and five others, all residents of the same village of kidnapping and killing her husband.

Since the police authorities initially did not find any truth in the charges of Santro Devi, they did not register case against anyone. Following this, Santro Devi filed a petition before the Punjab and Haryana High Court demanding that all the accused be booked for kidnapping and eliminating her husband. However, the court directed the police to book all the eight persons under section 364 (kidnapping).

Following the court directive, Anil Singhmar, his father Atma Ram, ASI Gurtej Singh and all the remaining five villagers were booked.

However, Atma Ram and Badri Ram secured anticipatory bail. Anil was remanded to police custody for ten days followed by judicial custody. All the other five accused were also remanded to judicial custody.

Santro Bai also demanded a CBI inquiry into the case. The Punjab and Haryana High Court ordered a CBI probe.

The CBI probe was in progress. Surprisingly, Shankar Lal appeared in the village after around two and a half years on September 18, 1999. The Abohar police swung into action and handed over the kidnapped Shankar Lal to the CBI which in turn produced him before the Punjab and Haryana High Court on September 20, 1999.

The court handed over Shankar Lal to his wife Santro Devi on September 22, 1999.

The CBI, thereafter, interrogated Shankar Lal who persisted with the concocted story of his wife santro Bai. He maintained that after being kidnapped, he was kept at an unknown place. He was also made to perform labour during his alleged captivity.

On the basis of the CBI report, Justice VM Jain of the Punjab and Haryana High Court observed that Shankar Lal was hiding of his own and false allegations were levelled against Anil Singhmar and others and they were made to undergo judicial custody and other harassment for a crime which they had not committed. The court further directed prosecution of Santro Bai and her husband Shankar Lal under sections 120B, 181 and 182 of the IPC for making false allegation and filing false affidavits.

The legal battle again continued for another decade. Finally, the Special Judicial Magistrate CBI Patiala convicted the husband-wife duo under these sections.

The court sentenced them to rigorous imprisonment for a period of six months. Santro Devi was sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for six months under section 182 of the IPC while Sharnkar Lal was sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for one year under section 181 of the IPC.

The major reason stated for cooking the kidnapping story by Santro Devi and Shakar Lal is that they were tenants of agricultural land the Singhmar family since 1951. They had been ejected out by the court following which they nourished a grouse and perhaps decided to take revenge under the patronisation of the political opponents of Singhmar family.

Even as Anil Singhmar has been absolved of all the charges, he rues that being close to the Badal family, particularly Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal cost him dearly as his political opponents played their own role in harassing him.

Singhmar recalls his glorious days as a trap shooter in which he won gold medal in the national-level competition held at Bikaner in 1981. He was honoured by the then Defence minister and chief of the Army staff. 

Sangrur, March 29
A tug of war has begun between Sangrur and Barnala police after the former called an inspector of latter for questioning for his alleged involvement to help a gangster escape after committing the crime.

The calling of inspector for questioning has not gone well with the Barnala police officials who are reportedly up in arms against the SSP Sangrur for his action against the inspector of Barnala police.

Sources in the Sangrur police claimed that Sangrur police had called an inspector of Barnala police Sanjeev Goyal (posted with the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) after his involvement allegedly surfaced in helping an accused gangster Kala Dhanola escape after a shootout between his gang members and that of his rival group.

They added that since the incident had taken place at the border of Sangrur and Barnala district, Sangrur police took over the investigation and called several officials including Goel and others for questioning.

“There was a shootout between members of two gangs, one headed by Kala Dhanola and other led by Lakhi, in the ongoing gang war between the two on March 15 at Sherpur on the border of Sangrur and Barnala. In the shootout, several members of the two rival gangs had got injured. After the shootout, Kala Dhanola had managed to escape,” said a police source.

“After the incident, Sangrur police registered the case at Sherpur police station and started investigations. During the course of investigation, on questioning of several officials and others in the case, the alleged involvement of inspector Sanjeev Goyal surfaced in helping the accused to escape in a vehicle, keeping the revolver of the accused Kala Dhanola in his possession illegally and concealing the facts. Since these were grave charges against a police official, so he was called for questioning several times.”

SSP, Sangrur, Naunihal Singh confirmed to The Tribune that the inspector among other officials of Barnala police were called to join the investigation since the incident had happened at the border of two districts.

“Since the preliminary part of the Sherpur shootout was handled by Barnala police, various officials of Barnala have been called to participate in the ongoing investigation from time to time,” he said.

Meanwhile, sources in the Barnala police claimed that since Sangrur police had allegedly kept inspector Sanjeev Goel in illegal confinement for three days in the name of investigations in the Sherpur shootout case between two gangs, so police officials including SPs, DSPs, inspectors, SIs, ASIs lodged protest against Sangrur police by wearing plain clothes instead of uniform.

They added that the SSP Sangrur showed the highest degree of arrogance by meeting such treatment to a police official under the garb of ferocious allegations which hold no ground.

Sriganganagar/Abohar, March 29
Five persons were killed while six sustained injuries in different road mishaps during the past 24 hours in the twin districts of Sriganganagar and Hanumangarh. One person was killed while five sustained injuries as the jeep they were travelling by, collided head on with a heavy vehicle of the army near Sardarshehar on Hanumangarh-Salasar highway on Sunday.

As per the information, Umesh Phutela, in-charge of the blood donation wing of Bharat Vikas Parishad, Abohar, and son of the former Municipal Council president Mukand Lal Phutela were returning to Abohar along with family members after paying obeisance at Salasar.

Their jeep collided head-on with the army vehicle near Sardarshehar resulting in the death of Rajesh Bajaj on the spot.

Meanwhile, one Balla Ram Meghwal has informed the police that his son Rajesh, who sustained serious injuries after an unidentified vehicle hit him on Saturday, has succumbed to injuries during the treatment at Kolayat on Sunday.

In another mishap, two minor boys of village Netewala were crushed by a speedy car on NH 15 yesterday, of them Rajan succumbed to injuries last night.

As per details from the Hanumangarh police one Gurmeet Singh was crushed to death as the GREF mini-truck allegedly hit the motorcycle that he was driving near the Bhagat Singh Chowk yesterday.

A migrant worker Mohinder Singh Jatav of Mainpuri (UP) informed the police that his son Rameshwar was crushed to death by a car near village Chunavadh on Padampur-Sriganganagar road. The police have registered a case under section 279, 304A of the IPC. 

Sriganganagar/Abohar, March 29
Mini marathon race for school students marked the beginning of Rajasthan Divas celebrations at Maharaja Ganga Singh Chowk in Sriganganagar on Monday. ADC (city) Ratan Singh Lamba flagged it off. The race culminated at Sukhadia Circle.

Additional District Collector (Administration) Hanuman Daan Bithu performed akhara poojan at the Ramlila ground to begin wrestling competition as part of the two-day celebrations.

The inaugural boot contest was won by Ram Niwas by defeating Vijay Singh Khajuwala. Later Vijay Kumar of Sriganganagar defeated Praveen Thapa of Goa in a tough tie. Students of different schools organised a rally to mobilise the citizens for the celebrations.

NGOs including Marwari Yuva Manch and Shiv Langar Samiti were joined by Nosegay Public School, Ambika City etc in making arrangement for hundreds of spectators and participants.

Municipal Council commissioner Jiwan Dass Dagla, district education officers Harish Pandya and Mohan Lal, district sports officer MS Brar and SDM Narinder Singh Purohit were also present.