Bathinda, February 11
The sleuths of the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) today conducted raids at the Shehnaz beauty parlour in connection with the ongoing investigations of an alleged sex scandal. The officials, including a female member, got the parlour opened and recorded the statements of the people associated with the parlour.

The CBI is investigating the case on the orders of Punjab and Haryana High Court. The parlour situated in the busy Dhobi Bazar is locked for the last two years.

A visit to the market revealed that the sleuths were sitting on the rooftop of the parlour. They however refused to be recognised as CBI officials and did not interact with the media.

However, the shopkeepers downstairs said the men sitting on the top floor identified themselves as officials of the CBI.

Sources said the parlour is said to have been run by the wife of an absconding Punjab Police DSP.

A case was registered at the Patiala Sadar police station on February 20, 2011, against the DSP, his son and wife under Sections 365 and 366 of the IPC on the complaint of one Sunil Mehta.

Mehta accused the DSP, his wife and son of alluring his daughter, who was forced to stay in the parlour. However, Mehta too was later booked by the crime branch of the Punjab police, which was directed to investigate the alleged scandal.

The general secretary of the Lawyers for Human Rights International, advocate Navkiran Singh, said he took up the matter of the alleged scandal against the DSP and his family members.

“The DSP is now dismissed from the service and had been involved in making MMS of young girls and had been blackmailing them,” the advocate alleged.

He said the DSP was facing three different cases. The advocate demanded stringent punishment for those involved in the alleged scandal.

Bathinda, February 11
On the initiative of the Civil Surgeon Dr Iqbal Singh, the ‘Red Cross Jagat Parkash Sarai’, an inn situated on the premises of the local Civil Hospital, is going to be made functional next week to facilitate the stay of the attendants of the patients admitted to the hospital.

For the last 15 years, the hospital authorities were using the building of the ‘sarai’for official purposes by setting up offices, stores etc.

The ‘sarai’ will now be run by a non-governmental organisation (NGO), the Sri Guru Amardass Samaj Sewa Sanstha, Gurdwara Shaheed Bhai Mati Dass Nagar, Bathinda.

During the last several days, this organisation has got the building of the ‘sarai’ whitewashed and doors painted in order to make it functional.

Talking to this reporter, the secretary of the organisation, Vikram Singh, said as the whitewash and paint work had completed so they would probably make it functional next week. He said they had planned to provide 30 beds along with beddings for three big rooms of the sarai so that maximum number of needy attendants of the patients could be accommodated.

Vikram Singh further said the organisation would also depute a ‘Sewadar’ there. He said at present, their organisation had been providing ‘langar’ (free food) to about 300 persons at the Civil Hospital daily in the evening.

When contacted, the Civil Surgeon, Dr Iqbal Singh, said though he had taken the initiative to run the ‘sarai’ again, it was the idea of Dr Dalip Kumar, a former Civil Surgeon, who told him about it. He said he acted upon the idea and got the building of the ‘sarai’ vacated. He said it was a matter of satisfaction for him that he had succeeded in restoring the status of the sarai’s building.

It is recalled that the foundation stone of the sarai was laid on January 30, 1981 and it was reportedly got constructed during the same year by the Bathinda District Red Cross Society at a cost of about Rs 1.17 lakh with the 50 per cent financial assistance provided by the Lala Jagat Parkash Trust, Bathinda.

According to information available, the trust maintained the ‘sarai’ for more than eight years, and kept it in a running condition, but in October 1990, an office-bearer of the trust handed over its maintenance to the District Red Cross Society. After a couple of years, the Red Cross Society further handed it over to the Civil Hospital authorities so that it could be made functional.

But nothing happened in that direction, and the hospital authorities started using the ‘sarai’ building for different purposes.

Bathinda, February 11
The stage was set, the music was blaring and the bouncers were observing the crowd attentively. The promotional activity of the Punjabi film ‘Pata Nahi Rabb Kehdeyan Rangan Ch Raazi’ at the Mittal’s Mall in the city had all the makings of a starry event.

The swelling crowd, increasing in strength with every passing minute and comprising primarily young boys who looked as if they had worn their best clothes, was waiting eagerly to get a glimpse of their favourite actress Neeru Bajwa.

The activity was scheduled to start at ‘almost 2.30 pm’, claimed the banner that had been put up outside the mall many days back. The event was being organised by a Sardulgarh college.

As the watch ticked on, the word spread that the actress, to be accompanied by comedian Rana Ranbir, was getting a little late. The crowd dispersed and moved inside the various showrooms.

By three in the afternoon, the bouncers and members of the DJ party had been inundated with queries about the event. One of the bouncers, in his attempt to settle the crowd, said the actress had arrived and was having a cup of coffee in the adjacent hotel.

When Bathinda Tribune checked with the general manager of the hotel, JS Rajawat, he said, “Whenever Neeru comes to the city, she stays at our hotel, but today she is not here.”

Rana Ranbir, when asked over the phone about his presence at the mall, said, “I am not in Bathinda. I’m in Fatehgarh Sahib.”

At around 4.30 in the evening, the mike roared and all were ears.

While all expected the announcement about the actress’ arrival, a gentleman asked the crowd on the first and second floors to stand away from the railings. Soon the low murmurs turned into hoots and shrieks as the crowd realised that the starry event was slowly turning into a non-event.

At around quarter past five, the stage was dismantled and the DJ packed his CDs. The disappointed crowd dispersed for the final time, only to kickstart their bikes and leave the venue, carrying the stuff that they had bought while whiling away time till the actress arrived.

Harman, producer of the film, told Bathinda Tribune over the phone, “The team was expected to be in Bathinda. Although I don’t have details about why the plan was shelved, I got to know that Neeru’s hairdresser had a mishap due to which the team didn’t reach Bathinda.”

Earlier in the day, the actress had gone to a college at Abohar.

Bathinda, February 11
Jagdip Singh Gehri, national general secretary of the youth wing of the Lok Janshakti Party, was today appointed state president of the Universal Human Rights Front by its chairman, Tejinder Pal Singh Cheema here.

Cheema said Gehri would now announce his team of office-bearers to handle the functioning of the Front in a proper manner. He also said the Front had been formed for the protection of the human rights and the human values, and the welfare of the humanity.

Cheema further said the Front was now chalking out programmes to fight a battle for the protection of human rights and values so that people could live a peaceful life.

He said Gehri had been appointed to wage a war against the violation of human rights in the state. He expressed the hope that Gehri would do the needful to check the violation of human rights.

He added that besides checking for human rights violations, the Front would also work for checking police atrocities and corruption activities in the state.

Cheema also said the Front believed in legal actions so it would initiate legal steps for the protection of human rights and human values.

Bathinda, February 11
Goods worth Rs 3.90 lakh were stolen from a house in the Basantpura area, falling under Civil Lines police station. In his complaint to the police, Rajinder Sehgal said on February 7 thieves took away gold jewellery, 20 silver coins, one gold chain, one digital camera and one HP gas cylinder. The total worth of the stolen goods is nearly `3.90 lakh.

A case under sections 457 and 380 of the IPC has been registered in this connection at Civil Lines police station. No arrests have been made in this regard so far.

Meanwhile, in another theft incident in a shop, material worth `90,000 were stolen from a cloth shop in Talwandi Sabo. Complainant Avtar Singh said thieves entered in his shop after breaking the iron shutter and took away readymade and other clothes.

A case under sections 
457 and 380 of the IPC has been registered in this connection.

Bathinda, February 11
A farewell party was organised today at the Vivekananda Institute of Management and Technology (VIMT) for the students of BA IIIrd year, BSc VIth semester, BCA IIIrd year, diploma in stitching and tailoring.

The students and teachers lighted the ceremonial lamp to mark the event. It was followed by a colourful programme. Priyanka was declared Miss College for the year 2012.

The judges for this contest were Reena Katoch, Maninder Kaur Bhullar and Nasreen Jahan.

Principal of the college, Raj Gupta, urged the students to strive for excellence in life.