Dharmheri (Patiala), August 8
As residents and farmers of flood-prone villages of Punjab and Haryana held a mahapanchayat at Ramnagar village in Patiala today, the authorities sealed the Punjab-Haryana border on the Patiala-Kaithal highway for at least an hour. The mahapanchayat took the shape of a massive demonstration.

Farmers protest against Punjab, Haryana and UPA governments at a mahapanchayat in Ramnagar village, near Patiala, on Monday. Tribune photo: Rajesh Sachar

There was heavy police deployment on both sides of the border. The agitatated farmers burnt the effigies of the Centre, Punjab and Haryana Governments.

The district administrations of Patiala and Kaithal had deployed police in strength in their respective areas to prevent violence. As the mahapanchayat concluded at about 2.45 pm, hundreds of residents of flood-prone villages collected near the Hansi-Butana canal but were not allowed to enter Haryana.

At one point, the situation turned tense with the protesters threatening to force their way into Haryana. Punjab police officers pleaded with the protesters led by Bharti Kisan Union Ekta (Dakunda) president Dr Darshan Pal and Anti- Hansi-Butana Joint Front (AHBJF) leaders who then agreed to burn effigies in Punjab’s territory.

Farmers burn an effigy of the government near Dharmheri village in Patiala. Tribune photo: Rajesh Sachar

Raising slogans against Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal and Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda for not doing enough to save hundreds of villages of the two states from the fury of floods, the protesters announced that they would launch an agitation to stop work on the toe wall along the Hansi-Butana canal embankment.

The Punjab-Haryana border was opened at about 3.45 pm and traffic allowed on the Patiala-Kaithal state highway thereafter.

However, the security remained in place. 

Mohali, August 8
The state-of-the-art Punjab Forest Complex being constructed on the principles of the ‘green building design’ is being inaugurated in parts.

Almost 15 months after the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal inaugurated the partially complete building, the Punjab Financial Commissioner (Forests) DS Bains today inaugurated the conference room in the complex.

The Commissioner, who was at the complex to chair a meeting of the field officers, performed a ribbon-cutting ceremony to inaugurate the facility.

While three towers of the five towers of the complex are with the Forest Department, the two other have been rented out to other boards and corporations.

Justifying the inauguration, an official of the Department said initially the inauguration of the conference room was not on the agenda, but when it was decided that the Commissioner would hold the meeting in the complex, the Department worked overtime to ready the facility.

A visit to the complex revealed that work on the sixth floor was still in progress and the second entrance to the complex was being readied as were the toilet blocks. Finishing touches were being given to various facilities in the complex.

Almost 15 months after the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal inaugurated the partially complete building, Punjab Financial Commissioner (Forests) DS Bains inaugurated the conference room in the complex today

Estimated cost of constructing Forest Complex initially pegged at Rs 38 crore. 18 months later the figure revised at around Rs 50 crore

Inclusion of 900 “nonscheduled” items push up cost

To raise funds, memorandum and articles of association amended by the registrar of companies

Work on sixth floor still in progress and second entrance to complex, toilets block, being readied

Hoshiarpur, August 8
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today asked the president of the People’s Party of Punjab (PPP), Manpreet Badal, to rejoin the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD).

He was here to welcome former Rajya Sabha member Varinder Singh Bajwa back into the SAD fold who has severed his ties with the PPP. Badal said: “Our doors are always open for former Finance Minister Manpreet Badal.” Badal claimed it was owing to the people-friendly policies of the ruling Akali Dal that leaders not only from PPP, but also from other parties were joining it.

The CM said with the return of former MP Bajwa and his supporters, the SAD would be further strengthened in the Doaba region.

Bajwa said there were no differences between him and the ruling Akali Dal and he would work “to produce good results” in the coming SGPC and assembly elections. “Badal Sahib is like a father to me,” he said.

Bajwa had joined Manpreet’s PPP on the plea that he had been ignored by the ruling Akali Dal.

Former Chairman of the Improvement Trust, Hoshiarpur , Tejinder Singh Sodhi, former Chairman of the Hoshiarpur Milk Producers Union Hardev Singh Kothe and former chairman of Punjab Agriculture Development Bank Avtar Singh Kapur also rejoined the SAD along with Bajwa.

However, former SAD leaders Amarjit Singh, Kirpal Singh Gera and Lakhwinder Lakhi preferred to remain with the PPP. They had joined Manpreet Badal along with Bajwa.

Local Bodies Minister Tikshan Sud, Medical Education and Forests Minister Arunesh Shakir and Chief Parliamentary Secretary (Education) Mohinder Kaur Josh were among those present on the occasion.

Chandigarh, August 8
Chief Election Commissioner Dr SY Quraishi and Election Commissioners VS Sampath and HS Brahma are scheduled to meet delegations of political parties for 10 minutes each here tomorrow morning.

The Congress is likely to press for the removal of the Director-General of Police (DGP), PS Gill, and DS Guru, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister. Both are said to be in the race for the SAD ticket.

The Congress is all set to take up the issue of “political manipulation by the ruling alliance” with the officials who, after meeting the parties, will hold a meeting with deputy commissioners of all 22 revenue districts to assess poll preparedness.

Sources said after lunch the EC team would meet the Chief Secretary, the Home Secretary and the DGP. This would be followed by an interaction with the media. Sources in the Congress said party leaders were likely to demand the removal of Gill and Guru as both were actively involved with the electoral process while holding important government posts. The Congress team led by Leader of the Opposition in the Vidhan Sabha Rajinder Kaur Bhattal will comprise Lal Singh, Surinder Singla, Col CD Kamboj, Capt Sandip Sandhu and Karanpal Sekhon.

The Congress may also take up the issue of appointment of all but two SSPs from the Punjab Police Service (PPS). The matter has already been brought to the notice of the EC by Sukhpal Khaira, Congress MLA from Bholath. The EC will review the list of officers with adverse remarks on their service record for helping a political party during the previous elections.

The Congress may express its apprehension on seized drugs and alcohol being used by the ruling alliance to influence voters. Punjab’s Chief Electoral Officer Kusumjit Sidhu has already asked Punjab’s Home Secretary to come prepared with the data pertaining to the seizures. Highly placed sources said the Opposition is likely to raise the issue of Sangat Darshans by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and distribution of money at such functions. The Congress has been levelling allegations of phone tapping against the Punjab Police and for conducting surveys to help the ruling alliance in the elections. These issue are likely to be taken up at tomorrow’s meeting. 

Chandigarh, August 8
After months of ascendancy, the tide has turned against the Peoples’ Party of Punjab (PPP) and its leader Manpreet Singh Badal with the SAD not only keeping its flock together but also winning back leaders who gone over to the PPP camp.

Observers say the fact that the SAD has successfully conducted an operation to win back leaders who had gone over to Manpreet at a time when the latter is wooing NRIs in North America, proves the PPP has little stability in Manpreet’s absence.

Manpreet had earlier tried to brazen out the desertion of his former officer on special duty and a loyalist of 16 years standing, Charanjit Singh Brar, by not even reacting to the development. Similarly, Manpreet did not react to the defection of former MP and Hoshiarpur leader Varinder Singh Bajwa back to the SAD today. His party has now come out with a statement announcing the party’s organisational setup would be made public by the end of the year.

According to sources the PPP was not making its organisational setup public fearing prominent leaders might be lured back to the SAD. However, they say now the PPP does not seem to have any option with the deserters claiming Manpreet has packed the PPP core committee with his relatives. Party media coordinator Arunjot Sodhi today said the party setup would be finalised by this month after Manpreet’s return on August 17.

Taking a dig at the leaders who have left the PPP, Arunjot said opportunists with business intent in their minds would find no place in the party hierarchy.

Manpreet now has the support of three youth leaders, including his relative and former legislator Jagbir Singh Brar, former legislator Kushaldeep Dhillon and Gurpreet Bhatti. Sources said Manpreet might not get more youth leaders from either the SAD or the Congress in the coming days. Taking a cue from Manpreet who has been wooing the youth, both parties have announced that they would give tickets to youths in the coming assembly elections. 

Bathinda, August 8
A local Congress leader fired gunshots in the air after he was attacked by two youngsters with an aim of looting him. The leader was strolling near his residence on Namdev Marg falling under the Civil Lines police station. In his complaint to the police, PPCC secretary Chaudhary Ravinder Kumar Rosy alleged that two scooterists attacked him with a sword while he was walking after dinner near the Namdev Marg.

“One of the two scooterists attacked me with a sword from the front but I escaped. I managed to grab my licensed revolver while falling down and threatened to fire. They managed to flee on a scooter as soon as I fired a gunshot in air”, said the leader.

He informed the police control room and the area SHO over the phone and the police rounded up some youngsters late at night. Rosy, however, did not identify them as his attackers. The police again called up the leader today morning and he identified his attackers. Police said the accused have been identified as Varun Kumar and Vikram, alias Dimple, both residents of Bathinda city.

During their interrogation they admitted to having commited four robberies last night wherein they attacked some women, a poor labourer and a resident of the city near Hanuman chowk. Police said the accused have already been implicated in similar crimes at other police stations as well and have been arrested for the second time. 

Chandigarh, August 8
Punjab Pradesh Congress chief Amarinder Singh has given a quiet burial to Panthic agenda that he had vigorously pursued in the previous assembly elections. Instead, the PCC has decided to woo the urban voter this time.

There is a feeling in the state Congress that the urban votes will make or break the party in the next elections. Capt Amarinder told TNS that a “wrong impression” had been created in the last y elections that the Congress was concentrating on the rural vote bank and ignoring the urban voters. Though this paid rich dividends with the Congress winning 35 seats in the Malwa belt, it faced a rout in Doaba and Majha regions and lost 19 of the 21 urban seats.

The PPCC chief said the Rs 5,000 crore measures for upgradation of Ludhiana and Amritsar came at the fag-end of his tenure as CM and the urban voter was not pleased.

State Congress sources say denying the party ticket to candidates Raj Kumar Gupta and Raman Bahl from Jalandhar Central and Pathankot also pushed the Hindu voter towards the BJP. Amarinder said such an error would not be repeated.

Sources said besides projecting Raman Bahl as the party candidate from Gurdaspur, the party could increase the number of Hindu candidates who could be fielded from Dera Bassi, Patiala -2, Sangrur, a seat in Bathinda and other areas.

There is a feeling that the ministers representing urban seats in the last Congress government had failed the party. Second-rung leaders are now likely to fill the gap. 

Chandigarh, August 8
President of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Punjab, Ashwani Sharma has said he had received the report of Tandon committee, but a decision on the report would be taken after the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) elections.

Sharma was presiding over a meeting of the state office bearers, district in charges, district presidents, morcha presidents and general secretaries at the BJP headquarters here today.

He said a committee was formed under senior BJP leader Balram Dass Tandon to assess the working of various boards, corporations and trusts’ chairmen and other office bearers. This committee had assessed the functioning, achievements, failures, etc and had handed over the report to the BJP president.

While talking to the participating members, Sharma said complete assessment of this report was yet to be done. We are yet to discuss the report and decide whether to accept the recommendations or not and if to accept then who are going to be the new faces. All this would be discussed once the code of conduct for the SGPC election ends.

General secretary (organisation) BJP, Punjab, Ajay Jamwal and three general secretaries Kamal Sharma, Manjit Singh Rai and Rajesh Bagga were present in the meeting.

During the meeting, discussions were held on the assembly elections. District presidents presented a detailed status of the formation of the booth-level committees and also discussed tentative dates of the constituency-wise big rallies and training camps for the party workers.

Chandigarh, August 8
The Indian Youth Congress (IYC) plans to elect a new team of office-bearers of the Punjab Youth Congress by October- end. “The election committee set up to conduct the elections is working hard to elect the new body well before the beginning of the campaign for the assembly elections ”, said Rajiv Satav, president of the IYC.

Party insiders say that certain senior leaders have told the Congress high command that it would be unwise to hold the elections of the youth wing at this stage when the assembly elections are not far away. 

First, the elections would create divisions in ranks and Second, the youth wing office-bearers who had worked ceaselessly for the party during the past four years would be marginalised with the new office-bearers taking over. “Obviously, the old team would be out of the limelight after the elections”, observed a party leader. Recently, more than 10 lakh youths filled IYC membership forms. Following scrutiny, 80,000 forms were rejected. The rising interest in the organisation stems from the fact that the Youth Congress is the all-powerful Rahul Gandhi’s baby. He can manage any number of nominations for his foot soldiers.

Two Youth Congress leaders, Ravneet Singh Bittu and Vijender Singla, were elected to the Lok Sabha last time because Rahul had secured the party ticket for them. As many as 18,738 booths would be set up to elect five delegates from each booth in the state. 

Amritsar, August 8
Heavy rain led to the collapse of as many as five old structures in various parts of the holy city today, the mishaps coming within 10 days of a young girl losing her life in a similar incident here.

No loss to life was reported in four incidents at Gujjarpura, Guru Bazaar, Khaloniyan Wala Bazaar and near Dhupai road. However, a woman and her teenaged daughter were trapped under the debris of their house in the fifth mishap that occurred near the Gurdwara Guru Ki Mahal area of the city.

Their fate remained unknown even after the lapse of over 12 hours. This over a century old three-storey house belonged to Lali Khanna and was made up of Nanakshahi bricks. The mishap occurred at around 8 a.m. while Khanna’s wife Geeta (42) and their 19-year-old daughter Mehak were sleeping on the ground floor. “I left the house along with my son Bharat only a few minutes before this tragedy occurred,” said Khanna.

Even before the civic as well as the fire squads could reach the spot, another adjoining dilapidated structure collapsed, which hampered the rescue work.

Besides, the narrow lanes of the city prevented the rescue teams from taking their machinery and vehicles to the spot. The process became cumbersome and time-consuming as the rescue personnel had to remove the debris manually.

Municipal Commissioner Dharampal Gupta said the rescue operation got delayed as another adjoining structure collapsed. “The rescue staff even experienced electric shocks while removing the debris. They halted the operation and resumed it after the supply to the area was disconnected,” he said.

Chief Fire Officer Tarlochan Singh said the fate of the victims was not known yet. “One structure had collapsed over a girl at Gujjarpura, but she was pulled out safely,” he said. 

Moga, August 8
Normal life was thrown out of gear by heavy downpour in the Moga town today. The rains exposed the management of the civic body as the sewage systems choked and low-lying areas in and around the town were inundated. The rain started at about 1.00 pm in the afternoon and was still continuing when the report was filed. There were also reports of downpour in Dharamkot, Kot-ise-Khan, Baghapurana and Nihalsinghwala areas of the district.

Almost all the roads and streets of the town were submerged under water. The Dashmesh Nagar, Gobindgarh Basti, New Town area, Rajinder Nagar, Akalsar Road and other adjoining localities of the town were the worst hit.

The narrow by-lanes in the old town area had been blocked due to inundation. Poor sewerage system in these areas led to water-logging. There were reports of water entering into the houses of the people in many areas. Hundreds of vehicles, including four-wheelers and two-wheelers, got stranded on the roads and the streets.

The situation became worst in areas where installation of new sewerage lines is going on in the town. Schoolchildren had to face hardships while reaching home from school. The residents of Moga town also complained that most of the water sucking pumps of the civic body attached on the sewage lines did not work for the whole day, thus adding to their woes.

On the other hand, Agricultural Officer Dr Jaswinder Singh Brar said the first spell of monsoon rain in the Moga district was beneficial for both paddy and cotton as its soil had more absorption power. However, if the trend continued in the coming days, it could prove harmful to the cotton crop, he said.

Fazilka, August 8
Security is being beefed up at the Sadqi border observation post (BOP) where a large number of members of the divided families are expected to turn up on Independence Day in the hope of having a glimpse of their relatives across the international border at the Sulemanki post in Pakistan.

These two border posts of India and Pakistan manned by the BSF and Rangers, respectively, are situated at a distance of about 150 metres from each other and the visitors during the Beating Retreat ceremony are clearly visible from either side of the border. The Sadqi BOP is about 10 km from Fazilka town. Over the years, it has become a regular feature for members of the divided families from various parts of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and neighbouring areas assemble here, particularly on Independence Day, to have a glimpse of their relatives who also converge at the Sulemanki border post on the Pakistan side. The BSF and the Pak Rangers briefly allow the visitors to come up to the barbed wire fencing and exchange pleasantries after the Beating Retreat ceremony. Those whose relatives do not turn up generally send the message of their wellbeing through other visitors.

DIG BSF (Abohar Range), Vimal Satyarthi, told the TNS that more than 20,000 people were expected to descend at the Sadqi checkpost this time. About 14,000 people visited the post last year on Independence Day. He said that a security measure, two additional platoons of BSF would be deployed in the area for three days from August 14. The BSF personnel would regulate the visitors to the BOP. The civil administration has also been informed about the special arrangements.

Meanwhile, the newly carved out Fazilka district would witness hectic political activity this week. The BJP President Nitin Gadkari accompanied by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal would address a public meeting here on August 11. The thanksgiving rally has been organised by the local leadership following the creation of the new district. Other top leaders of the BJP, including Shanta Kumar and Jagat Parkash Nadda, would also be present on the occasion. Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal is slated to unfurl the National Flag here on the first Independence Day being celebrated after Fazilka got the district status. 

Amritsar, August 8
Akal Takht Jathedar Gaini Gurbachan Singh today said the Takht would initiate action against any candidate found luring voters with intoxicants during the SGPC elections.

Talking to mediapersons here today, he said : “We will initiate action against those who resort to such tactics... The SGPC elections are a purely religious matter. Therefore, a candidate should ensure that his own family members are baptised and if not, he should bring them to Akal Takht for the purpose.”

The Jathedar said the SGPC and the DSGMC should screen all their employees to see whether they are baptised or not. “They should also check if their staff is following the religious code of conduct,” he said. Meanwhile, radical Sikh outfit Dal Khalsa, hailing advocate HS Phoolka’s efforts to ensure the elections were fair and free, has called upon NGOs and Sikh youths to join the cause. “The use of liquor, drugs and money to influence voters is not only unethical, but against Sikh teachings”, Dal Khalsa chief Kanwar Pal said.

He urged Jathedar Gaini Gurbachan Singh to issue a code of conduct to ensure the implementation of the directive. He said a task force should be constituted to “monitor the ground situation round the clock.” 

The AISSF released its manifesto “Singh Sabha-Samajak Sudhar Lehar”. The party declared to revive the tradition of Sarbat Khalsa for nomination of the Akal Takht Jathedar.

President of the AISSF Karnail Singh Peer Mohammed said, “ The party might announce another list of eight candidates”. He alleged that the SGPC which had been established to protect and promote the Sikh identity had instead been used to gain political mileage. “The SAD has been sidelining Sikh issues, a major cause for concern for the community”, he added. 

Patiala, August 8
Following the announcement of the SGPC elections in Punjab, many of the police officials are seeking transfer from their present posting to another, creating shortage of local officials in vital areas. DSPs to Assistant Sub-Inspector rank officials have got new postings due to the model code of conduct in place.

Various police stations and crime investigating agencies have totally new faces to deal with crime and law-and-order situation. However, given their short stay in the district, they are facing some problems as they are not well versed with their new postings.

Senior police officials confirmed to The Tribune that numerous police officers in the districts of Patiala and Fatehgarh Sahib have themselves opted out to avoid action by the election commission. While DSP (Patran) Devinder Singh Dhuri Patiala, who was posted in the city from the past over three year, moved to Khanna police district, RS Sohal was shifted from DSP Intelligence to DSP Nabha. Similarly, Arshdeep Singh Gill, DSP Nabha, has been made DSP Fatehgarh Sahib.

Fategrah Sahib SP (H) Jaspreet Singh Sidhu said though a few officers have been shifted, as some of them have spent three years or were posted in their home district.

Various SHOs have also been transferred out of the districts of Patiala, Fatehgarh Sahib and Khanna and have been replaced by other officials, who have taken their place. Patiala traffic in charge HS Badungar has moved to Sangrur, while Wiliam Jeji has taken over as SHO in Fatehgarh Sahib from Sangrur.

Interestingly these postings have meant that the SSPs have no option, but to post officials who have limited or no knowledge about the local area. “A few days back when there was a minor theft reported in an area in Patiala, SHOs of two police stations kept on fighting over jurisdiction issues till the matter was finally resolved with intervention of a senior police officer,” said a police official.

Patiala, August 8
Former MP and president SAD (Amritsar), Simranjit Singh Mann today filed his nomination papers in Fatehgarh Sahib for the upcoming Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) elections.

Mann filed his nomination papers from the Bassi Pathana general seat, here today and said that Khalistan would be the core issue of his party’s poll plank. Earlier, Simranjit Singh Mann who arrived in a convoy of vehicles was accompanied by his son Eman Singh Mann and numerous party leaders. — TNS

Chandigarh, August 8
Dead men do tell tales. “Killed” by the police in Maharashtra, Tarn Taran district resident Dilbagh Singh has approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court for “protection of life” as he is already “dead” in police files.

Dilbagh Singh says his father Kashmir Singh was also declared dead but just four months back, he came to know he was alive.

Taking cognizance of the apprehensions expressed by the “dead” man, Justice K Kannan today issued notice of motion to Punjab Director-General of Police, Tarn Taran Senior Superintendent of Police and the Station House Officer of Chabbal.

The story narrated by Dilbagh Singh is straight out of a Bollywood script. In his petition filed through advocate Ranjan Lakhanpal, Dilbagh Singh has claimed that his grandfather Mohinder Singh was killed by the police on May 16, 1993, while in police custody.

Just 13, he left Tarn Taran and went to Maharashtra as a cleaner with a truck as his family apprehended he would be killed or implicated in false cases.

Dilbagh Singh says his maternal grandfather Anokh Singh, his three sons and other relatives were gunned down by the police in Amravati in Maharashtra the very next year.

But the police in Punjab and Maharashtra declared to the media that Dilbagh Singh and his father Kashmir Singh had been killed by the police.

Apprehending the worse, the petitioner said he continued to live in Maharashtra. But about four months back, he came to know that his father was alive. It was then that he came to Punjab after spending 20 years in Maharashtra, Lakhanpal contended. “Officially, the petitioner is already dead and apprehends that he may be killed by the police or implicated in some case. As such, directions may be issued that he may not be killed in a fake encounter”, he concluded.

The case will now come up on September 20, when the State and other respondents will file their replies.

Taran Taran resident Dilbagh Singh claims his grandfather was killed by the police on May 16, 1993, while in custody

Just 13, he left Tarn Taran and went to Maharashtra as a cleaner with a truck as his family apprehended he would be killed too

The petitioner says his father Kashmir Singh was also declared dead, but four months back, he came to know he was alive

He had thus returned to Punjab after spending 20 years in Maharashtra

Notice to DGP, Tarn Taran SSP and SHO of Chabbal

Chandigarh, August 8
The Punjab Government’s stand against furnishing the record of Harish Rai Dhanda’s appointment as the Punjab Public Service Commission chairman backfired today. Miffed over the failure of the State to bring the record, a three-Judge Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court summoned the Chief Secretary on a one-and-a-half hour notice.

The Bench also made it clear that it would continue to hold the court till the record was produced. Finally, the Bench, after hearing the case for nearly three hours, reserved the orders on the petition challenging Dhanda’s appointment, which was filed by advocate Salil Sabhlok through counsel DS Patwalia.

As the case came up for hearing before Justice Hemant Gupta, Justice Permod Kohli and Justice K Kannan, Punjab Additional Advocate-General VK Jindal claimed the file was a privileged document. These were the documents a party was not obliged to disclose, he contended.

Jindal claimed the file contained the Chief Minister’s advice to the Governor. He added he was unable to furnish the file due to a bar on producing the advice tendered by the CM or the council of ministers, an assertion objected to by Patwalia.

The Bench told Jindal to produce the material on the basis of which the advice was made. Jindal then asked the Bench to issue specific order for producing the “material”.

A visibly angry Bench retorted: “You should have brought the file…. This is not the way to deal with Full Bench…. To say that you could not segregate the file and need a separate order is not a good argument.”

Referring to Punjab’s Rules of Business, the Bench also observed the affidavit should have been filed by the Chief Secretary and not by a deputy secretary in the department of personnel.

The Bench asserted the Supreme Court has said that “there cannot be any inquiry in respect of advice tendered, but the questions whether there was any material on the basis of which such advice was given, whether such material was relevant for such advice and whether the material was such that a reasonable man could have come to the conclusion, which was under challenge, are open to judicial scrutiny. Therefore, we call upon the Chief Secretary to appear in the court….”

As the Bench convened after lunch, the Chief Secretary again put forth the same plea. Turning it down, the Bench asserted the secretariat was just five minutes away. Asking the State to bring the file immediately, the Bench told Jindal to remain present in the court. As the file arrived after about half an hour, the Bench pursued the contents before returning it to the State and reserving the order. 

State fails to submit the record of Dhanda's appointment, the High Court summons Punjab Chief Secy on a one-and-a-half hour notice

The three-Judge Bench makes it clear it would continue to hold the court till the record is produced

Punjab AAG claims the file is a privileged document, cannot be disclosed; contains CM's advice to the Governor

Virtually angered, the Bench again calls upon the Chief Secretary to appear in the court

Post-lunch, the Chief Secy appears and again puts forth the same plea, which the HC rejects

The Bench tells the State to bring the file immediately; file is brought after about half an hour

Chandigarh, August 8
Parting ways with the law, a notary in Punjab virtually legalised the divorce between a couple at his own level - an action decried by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Astounded over the brazen illegality, Justice Mahesh Grover has not only ordered the seizure of his register and other documents by the Amritsar Deputy Commissioner, but also restrained him from executing any document. The notary public, Barkat Singh, has also been directed to remain present in the court on the next date of hearing.

The Deputy Commissioner has been given three days to act from the date of receiving the order’s copy. The shocking state of affairs came to fore during the hearing of a petition filed by NRI Harvinder Jit Singh and three others in a matrimonial dispute.

In their petition against the State of Punjab and another respondent, they had sought the quashing of an FIR registered on January 17 last year for cheating, forgery, criminal conspiracy and subjecting a married woman to cruelty under Sections 420, 498-A, 467, 472, 494 and 120-B of the IPC.

In the FIR, The complainant had alleged that Harvinder Jit Singh was already married - an allegation denied by the petitioners. During the hearing of the case, the High Court on July 15 directed the placing on record the divorce documents of Harvinder Jit Singh with Amandip Kaur.

Taking up the matter, Justice Grover asserted: “This court expresses its shock at the facts which are being revealed to it. Document, which has been placed on record with an application, shows a notary public of Amritsar district notarising a document granting divorce to the parties.”

“The last paragraph of the document reads - so this mutual divorce has been written and passed in presence of both the parties and their close relatives and respectable of the society and both the parties have signed this mutual divorce deed.”

“The notary public is restrained from executing any document and all the records with him, that is his register, should be sealed forthwith by Amritsar Deputy Commissioner.” Justice Grover also fixed August 25 as the date for further hearing.

New Delhi, August 8
The Supreme Court today allowed submission of a judicial inquiry report on the death of Sarwan Singh, allegedly a Khalistan militant in the custody of Gurdaspur police in February 1993, to the district judge.