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Depot holders say no to ‘rotten’ wheat supplied by Punsup
Muktsar, May 27
The ration depot holders in Gidderbaha sub-division of Muktsar district have refused to procure wheat from the PUNSUP, the government agency providing foodgrains and other essential commodities to the weaker sections of society on subsidised rates under the Public Distribution System (PDS), including Atta Dal scheme of the state government. They alleged that they were being supplied sub-standard wheat.

Fake passport scam kingpin nabbed
Faridkot, May 27
A Punjab Police official, who is already facing as many as four criminal cases for the offence of helping many criminals in escaping India by procuring them fake passports, has been nabbed while he was trying to run away to the USA using a fake passport. Besides, two other Faridkot cops have also been booked for allegedly helping Jaswinder in getting a fake passport.

MC elections
Badal refutes Cong allegation
Muktsar, May 27
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today denied the allegations being levelled by the Congress leaders about the nominations of a number of their party men being cancelled at the behest of Akalis. Badal said it was a stunt by the Congressmen as they had come to know about their impending defeat in the civic body polls.

EARLIER STORIES

	Two more labourers asphyxiated May 27, 2012
	Healthy Indo-Pak tie may boost medical tourism May 26, 2012
	Bariwala residents block Muktsar-Kotkapura road May 25, 2012
	Delivery count dips at hospital in Bathinda May 24, 2012
	Two labourers killed in sewer tank May 23, 2012
	For Malwa, double delight at midnight May 22, 2012
	Indefinite stir enters 8th day May 21, 2012
	PG degrees of promoted teachers under scanner May 20, 2012
	PRTC buses flout ban on promoting gutka, pan masala May 19, 2012
	‘Victimised’ by cops, women get support from political parties May 18, 2012

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Eight held with intoxicants in Moga
Moga, May 27
The police has recovered 1.5 quintals of ‘bhang’, 48 boxes of illicit liquor, 250 gm of smack and intoxicating drugs in Moga district. SSP Surjit Singh Grewal said the police had recovered 1.5 quintals of ‘bhang’ from the possession of five persons in the grain market at Baghapurana on Sunday afternoon.

Murder convict escapes police custody, killed in road mishap
Faridkot, May 27
Six hours after a life prisoner escaped from judicial custody in Faridkot yesterday evening, he was killed near Ambala in Haryana after a speeding bus ran over him. The Faridkot police has booked four persons, including three cops for the offence of helping him in escaping the jail.

Abohar entrepreneur awarded
Abohar, May 27
An eminent entrepreneur and a social activist, Neeraj Arora, has been honoured with the Rajiv Gandhi Global Excellence Award. Trinamool Congress MP Tapas Pal joined JDU leader and former union minister Nagmani and Dr Janice Darbari, Consulate General, Republic of Montenegro, in presenting a memento and a citation to Neeraj Arora at the 13th Rajiv Gandhi Global Excellence Award ceremony held at New Delhi.

272 cases settled at Lok Adalat
Fazilka, May 27
As many as 272 cases pending before various courts in Fazilka were disposed of by a special quarterly mega Lok Adalat held here on Saturday following the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Besides, three courts also settled claims running into Rs 1 crore.

	Depot holders say no to ‘rotten’ wheat supplied by Punsup Archit Watts Tribune News Service Muktsar, May 27 The ration depot holders in Gidderbaha sub-division of Muktsar district have refused to procure wheat from the PUNSUP, the government agency providing foodgrains and other essential commodities to the weaker sections of society on subsidised rates under the Public Distribution System (PDS), including Atta Dal scheme of the state government. They alleged that they were being supplied sub-standard wheat. The ration depot holders said the government was charging full rates against ‘rotten’ grain, which had to be further supplied to the Below Poverty Line (BPL) families. “Besides, the officials were charging Rs 3.5 per bag as loading charges, which was against the rules,” they alleged. Talking over the phone, the president of the Gidderbaha Ration Depot Holders Union (Rural), Sadhu Ram Batra, said, “The wheat being supplied to us is black. It is not fit to be consumed even by animals.” “We raised the issue and contacted senior officials of the PUNSUP. They have assured us of not supplying the same wheat further. Besides, they assured that action would be taken against the erring officials,” added Batra. When contacted, the district manager of PUNSUP, Jaspal Singh, said, “We have stopped the supply from one of our godowns situated on the Bathinda road in Gidderbaha, to which the complaints pertained. The quality of stock was up to the mark at other godowns.” He said, “The wheat had got damaged because the official deployed to take care of it could not visit the godown for almost a month as he suffered some major heart problem. In the meantime, the stock got damaged, as grains had been stored in the open.” He added that a show-cause notice had been issued to the erring official. Jaspal Singh, however, could not give the details of the total stock lying decomposed at the godown. “As of now, we have not estimated the total loss. But, I assure that all the guidelines issued by the food and supplies department would be adhered to and not even a single grain of sub-standard quality would be supplied,” maintained the DM of PUNSUP.
	Fake passport scam kingpin nabbed Was trying to flee to the US Balwant Garg/TNS Faridkot, May 27 A Punjab Police official, who is already facing as many as four criminal cases for the offence of helping many criminals in escaping India by procuring them fake passports, has been nabbed while he was trying to run away to the USA using a fake passport. Besides, two other Faridkot cops have also been booked for allegedly helping Jaswinder in getting a fake passport. A resident of Faridkot and a head constable in the police security branch, Jaswinder Singh is the kingpin of the fake passport scandal that surfaced in July 2008 in Moga. Jaswinder was facing four criminal cases in the scandal but was released on bail. He allegedly made a plan to run away from India to escape the punishment. It is learnt that taking the ‘services’ of an ASI and a constable of the security branch in the Faridkot police, Jaswinder got a fake passport some days ago. It was made on the faked identity of one Gurdit Singh of Malke village in Faridkot. Interestingly, Gurdit had died two years ago. Later, Jaswinder reached the USA embassy in New Delhi to get a visa. During the verification of his passport, the embassy officials got suspicious. Eventually, it was learnt that Jaswinder Singh was faking Gurdit Singh. The matter was immediately reported to the Faridkot police. The Faridkot police has arrested Jaswinder Singh, ASI Gurmit Singh and constable Gurmukh Singh, who have been booked under Sections 420, 465, 487 and 218 of the IPC today, said Faridkot SSP Gurmit Singh Chauhan. Manjit Singh, a travel agent and a close associate of Jaswinder, is already facing three criminal cases in the fake passport scandal and has now been booked by the Faridkot police in the latest case. It was found during the investigation of this case that while earlier it was Jaswinder Singh who got hefty bribe for helping others in getting passport on a fake identity, this time he himself paid Rs 20,000 to two cops.
	MC elections Badal refutes Cong allegation Tribune News Service Muktsar, May 27 Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today denied the allegations being levelled by the Congress leaders about the nominations of a number of their party men being cancelled at the behest of Akalis. Badal said it was a stunt by the Congressmen as they had come to know about their impending defeat in the civic body polls. “All the nominations which have been cancelled, were found to be technically wrong. There is no role of any SAD leader behind it. The Congress men are levelling allegations without any proof as it has become their habit,” said Badal, while talking to media persons during the seventh annual function of the Dashmesh College of Education at Badal village, late this evening. The CM said he had asked the officials to conduct free and fair elections in the state.
	Eight held with intoxicants in Moga Tribune News Service Moga, May 27 The police has recovered 1.5 quintals of ‘bhang’, 48 boxes of illicit liquor, 250 gm of smack and intoxicating drugs in Moga district. SSP Surjit Singh Grewal said the police had recovered 1.5 quintals of ‘bhang’ from the possession of five persons in the grain market at Baghapurana on Sunday afternoon. “We have arrested Rinku Singh, Makhan Lal, Shambu Kumar, Satnam Singh and Ram Murti in this regard and registered a criminal case under Sections 20, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act at the Baghapurana police station,” he said. As many as 480 bottles of cough syrup and 450 gm of intoxicating powder had been recovered from Jaspal Singh and Rajinder Singh at Baghapurana on Saturday evening. A case under Sections 22, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act was registered against them at the Baghapurana police station. The Dharamkot police arrested one Swaran Singh, a resident of Daulewala village, and recovered 25 gm of smack from his possession on Saturday. A criminal case under Sections 15, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act was registered against him at the Dharamkot police station. The SSP said the Moga police had also recovered 48 boxes of illicit liquor from Sadhanwali Basti here following a tip-off that smuggled liquor was being sold there. Three caught with opium Bathinda: The district police caught three persons in possession of nearly 10 kg of opium on Sunday evening and seized a Maruti Swift car. Acting upon a tip-off, a naka was laid at the Dabwali road, where a car was intercepted. On frisking, Ishwar Lal, Manglesh Kumar, both residents of Madhya Pradesh, and Kanwaljit Singh of Sirsa, were arrested with the contraband. A case under various sections of the NDPS Act has been registered in this regard at the Canal Colony police station. — TNS
	Murder convict escapes police custody, killed in road mishap Tribune News Service Faridkot, May 27 Six hours after a life prisoner escaped from judicial custody in Faridkot yesterday evening, he was killed near Ambala in Haryana after a speeding bus ran over him. The Faridkot police has booked four persons, including three cops for the offence of helping him in escaping the jail. According to sources in the police, murder convict Gurjinder Singh was serving life term in the Faridkot Central Jail. On Saturday, a police party took him to Nawanshahar for his appearance in a court in another criminal case under the Arms Act. The sources said while returning from Nawanshahar in the evening and travelling in a truck, Gurjinder Singh escaped from the custody of three cops near Talwandi Bhai in Faridkot district. Gurjinder Singh reached near Ambala where he was run over by a speeding Haryana Roadways bus while he was trying to cross a road. It did not take much time for the Ambala police to realise that the deceased was a fugitive criminal as he was handcuffed. A criminal case for dereliction of duty and helping a prisoner flee has been registered against the three cops, said Tejinder Singh, superintendent, Faridkot Central Jail.