Jalandhar, October 19
Warning people to refrain from making bogus votes for the SGPC poll, Justice Harphool Singh Brar, Chief Commissioner, Gurdwara Election, today said strict action would be taken against the accused in this regard.

He was in the city to preside over a meeting of officials connected with the preparation of electoral rolls for the poll.

The first draft of the voters’ list had been published and people could file their objections.

In case any person was found guilty of submitting false information or undertaking for preparing a vote and this discrepancy was established in subsequent investigations, the offenders would be booked as per the provisions of the law, he added.

So far in the state, the highest number of voters were enrolled in Ludhiana (6.65 lakh) following by Amritsar with 5.78 lakh. The figure for Jalandhar is 1.92 lakh while the smallest number of voters are registered in SBS Nagar (56,229), he pointed out.

Commenting on the overall number of voters who had enrolled in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh, he said the total was over 56 lakh till date.

He said the date of polling would be decided and notified by the Centre once the lists were complete.

He appealed to the eligible voters to get themselves registered at the earliest and said people could file their objections after going to lists available at the DC offices, notified gurdwaras and the patwar khanas in the state.

Jalandhar, October 19
Following the recent developments after Manpreet Badal’s dismissal as Finance Minister, former SGPC chief Bibi Jagir Kaur, without naming anyone, appealed to all party leaders and workers not to indulge in any type of anti-party activity, failing the party would be left with no option but to take action against them.

It may be recalled that SAD MLAs Jagbir Singh Brar (Jalandhar cantonment), Sant Ajit Singh (Anandpur Sahib), Manjinder Singh Kang (Beas) and Independent MLA Charanjit Singh Channi (Chamkaur Sahib) supported Manpreet Badal.

Meanwhile, when contacted, Brar told The Tribune that he would reply to the allegations levelled against him within a few days after collecting material in this regard.

On the other hand, Political Affairs Committee (PAC) member of the SAD Bibi Jagir Kaur said she had talked to Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal to expedite development works in Jalandhar cantonment so that general public and party workers of the area should not feel ignored after Brar’s support to the sacked FM.

Also senior vice-president of the SAD, the Bibi said Sukhbir Badal had assured her that a special sangat darshan would be held either by him or by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal at Jalandhar cantonment soon after Divali to redress the grievances of the public of this constituency. The exact date would be finalised within a few days, she added.

In reply to a question regarding Manpreet’s statement, she said he had never conceded to SAD President and Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal’s leadership. Had he conceded to Sukhbir’s leadership, Manpreet would have not spoken openly against him in the media a few days before his dismissal, she said.

She blamed Manpreet of working against the issues included in party manifesto released at the time of the last Assembly elections. He wanted to withdraw subsidies provided to farmers and the atta-dal scheme to the poor families which were part of SAD manifesto and he had also contested the elections under the same manifesto.

Nawanshahr, October 19
With the intervention of Deputy Commissioner Shruti Singh, the Rice Millers Association withdrew their strike and agreed to restart the process of lifting paddy from Wednesday.

The rice millers had stopped lifting the paddy from mandis today in protest against the arrival of paddy containing more than 17 per cent moisture.

A deputation of the Arhtiyas Association met the DC to apprise her of the situation arising due to the stoppage of lifting by the rice millers. Shruti Singh convened a meeting of the officials of the Mandi Board, the Market Committee, procurement agencies, rice millers and commission agents to evolve a mechanism to ensure smooth procurement of paddy.

She asked the officials of the Mandi Board and the Market Committee to check the moisture of paddy at the entrance to the mandis. The paddy with moisture more than the specified level should not be allowed to enter. Besides, she asked the Arhtiyas Association to tell the farmers not to bring wet paddy to the mandis.

Manjinder Singh Walia and Bakhtawer Singh of the Arhtiyas Assoioation said they had started making announcements in the villages to make the farmers aware it. Rice Millers Association spokesman Shanker Duggal said that keeping in view the assurance given by the DC, the association would start lifting of paddy tomorrow.

Gurdaspur, October 19
Parmod Kumar, SHO of Gurdaspur Sadar police station, who created pandemonium in the emergency ward of the Civil Hospital on Sunday night after he allegedly beat up officials of his own department, is still a free man despite the Gurdaspur police registering criminal cases against him and two of his sons.

SSP Varinderpal Singh said following the sordid incident, in which a dozen odd patients had to hide for cover even as cops engaged themselves in a battle for supremacy freely using canes, normally used during a lathi charge against rowdy elements, a departmental inquiry had been initiated against the SHO. The inquiry will be conducted by SP (Headquarters) Charanjit Singh.

The SSP claimed that Parmod Kumar had been suspended following the registration of a criminal case against him. He added that he had instituted a departmental inquiry after the wife of Parmod Kumar met him today and claimed that her husband was being wrongly implicated in the case.

Notwithstanding the assertions of Parmod Kumar’s wife that he was being “wrongly implicated” it remains an open secret among locals that two groups of cops, one of them led by Parmod Kumar, engaged themselves in a fierce battle in the emergency ward on the intervening night of October 17 and 18.

Sources disclosed that when Parmod and his sons were creating unruly scenes in the emergency ward, doctor in charge Dr Rajesh Lakhanpal was quick to call in the police. Following this, a police patrol team entered the emergency ward where the SHO bullied them and later started beating them up with lathis. After bearing with him for some time, strain took over the till then restrained patrol party who then had the SHO on the mat. Things cooled down only after City Police Station Paramjit Singh arrived on the spot and managed to control things. Parmod Kumar, when contacted, said he was being falsely implicated in the case and would fight it out till he got justice.

Meanwhile, a delegation of the Paramedical and Punjab Sehat Karamchari Front, (Gurdaspur unit), under the presidentship of Om Sharma, met the Deputy Commissioner, SSP and Civil Surgeon to apprise them about the tense atmosphere prevailing in the hospital following the incident.

In a press release the delegation members urged the authorities to take strict action against the SHO and also termed his background as “not behaving that of a police officer.”

Tarn Taran, October 19
Gurpreet Singh and Harwant Kaur, who won medals in the recently concluded 19th Commonwealth Games, were honoured at their respective villages in this district at the functions organised by the villagers.

Gurpreet Singh, who won two gold and a bronze medals in pistol shooting, was honoured in a function organised at his village Naushehra

Pannuan, 16 km from here. R.P. Singh Maini, district president of the BJP gave him an award of Rs 51,000 on behalf of the party, while Ravinder Singh Brahmpura, former chairman of Markfed, gave Rs 10,000.

An award of Rs 11,000 was given each by Iqbal Singh Maini, Sarpanch of Naushehra Panuan and the panchayat of Chaudhrywala, besides a social worker Amrik Singh rewarded him with Rs 21,000. Many social, cultural and other organisations also honoured him.

Harwant Kaur, who won a silver medal in discus throw, was honoured at a function organised at her native village Sabhra, 45 km from here. A large number of panchayats and organisations honoured her with cash award and mementos.

Her cousin Kuldev Singh and sister Patwant Kaur, who participated in the Commonwealth Games, were also honoured on the occasion.

Nawanshahr, October 19
The district police today nabbed four persons, Sher Singh, Jaswinder Singh, alias Teja, alias Kaka, his wife Sarabjit Kaur, residents of Hiala village, Nawanshahr, and Jaswinder Singh, alias Binda, of Maula Abadpur village, Garhshanker, travelling in two vehicles and seized Rs 25 lakh havala money from them.

Giving details, SSP Narinder Bhargav told mediapersons that SHO (City) Vinod Kumar and SHO (Rahon) Hardeep Singh had put up a joint naka near Hotel Shine Star here at about 4.30 pm and during the checking of vehicles they intercepted a Scorpio (PB32D-9280), which was being driven by Sher Singh and Jaswinder Singh and his wife Sarabjit Kaur were sitting on the back seat of the car. Rs 15 lakh were found lying on the back seat. They could not explain where the money came from. Besides, three passports and Rs 13,900 and 46 pounds were also recovered from Jaswinder Singh.

Rs 10 lakh were seized from a Ford Fiesta (PB07R-2930) during the checking of vehicles. The vehicle was driven by Jaswinder Singh, alias Binda, of Maula Abadpur (Garhshanker), and he could not explain where the money came from. During preliminary investigation, it came to light that the money seized from the two vehicles had come here as part of havala transaction. — OC