B A T H I N D A    E D I T I O N

Trickster hoodwinks cops, court in Faridkot
Faridkot, August 9
In a daring bid, a trickster in Faridkot has not only managed to pull the wool over the eyes of the police for over two years but also hoodwink the courts in five criminal and civil cases.

Empty coffers force state to defer payments to its staff
Fazilka, August 9
The government may boast of development projects worth several crores but the real picture reflects a different story. Huge payments are still lying pending in the treasury offices of the state government.

Absconding ‘Maoist leader’ held in Muktsar
Muktsar, August 9
Muktsar police today claimed to have arrested a Maoist leader, who was absconding for the last three years, in a case registered against him in Jalandhar district. A former government employee, Lajpat Rai alias Manveer Singh alias KD, was caught near the Market Committee office today, sources said.

Stone laid for Barnala college auditorium
Barnala, August 9
The foundation stone of the auditorium-cum-sports hall at the LBS Arya Mahila College, Barnala, was laid by Rajinder Gupta, founder and chairman of the Trident Group of Industries on Wednesday.

A police band rehearses ahead of Independence Day celebrations, at the Sports Stadium in Bathinda, on Thursday. Tribune photo: Pawan Sharma

Trickster hoodwinks cops, court in Faridkot
Balwant Garg
Tribune News Service

Faridkot, August 9
In a daring bid, a trickster in Faridkot has not only managed to pull the wool over the eyes of the police for over two years but also hoodwink the courts in five criminal and civil cases.

By the time the police and the court came to know about the real identity of this person, who bore different names and addresses substantiated by different voter identity cards, the accused was nowhere to be found.

The court declared him a proclaimed offender (PO) some days back and the police is searching for him.

The trickster has created a sensation in Faridkot as he is wanted in three criminal cases as an accused (with different names). He also appeared as witnesses in many civil cases.

He has such a well-connected network that he managed many sureties and witnesses who swore in the court that they had known him for many years. On the basis of these, while the imposter got bail and fled, the witnesses are now cooling their heels in jail.

The modus operandi of the imposter, now identified as Arun Kumar of Faridkot, started unfolding some time back when the sessions court here issued bailable warrants for one Harmanjit Singh in a cheating case and received the report that there was no such person on the given address.

As this Harmanjit Singh was involved in three criminal cases and was in jail before getting bail, the police scrambled through the jail records and his photographs. After extensive exercise, the police came to know that Harmanjit Singh was actually Arun Kumar, son of Diwan Chand of Balbir Basti, Faridkot.

Much to the amazement of the police and courts, this Arun Kumar was found to be posing as Harmanjit Singh, son of Ajit Singh of Deep Singh Wala village.

While there were many witnesses, advocates, notary public and nambardars who identified Arun as Harmanjit to get him bail, there were even 
voter identity cards, showing him as Harmanjit.

If this did not suffice, an investigation conducted by the SP (D) in Faridkot found that in a civil case, this Arun did not limit himself to cheating but also roped in one Gagandeep Singh of Deep Singh Wala, who posed as Arun Kumar before the sub-registrar, Ludhiana, to give a power of attorney.

Police investigation has revealed that Arun Kumar is part of a team of 18 persons who committed fraud, some of them overlapping in different cases with different identities. While nine of them are now in jail, the others are absconding.

Empty coffers force state to defer payments to its staff
Praful Chander Nagpal

Fazilka, August 9
The government may boast of development projects worth several crores but the real picture reflects a different story. Huge payments are still lying pending in the treasury offices of the state government.

According to official sources, hundreds of bills worth about Rs 70 to 80 lakh are lying frozen in the local treasury for want of credit in the government treasury account.

Shortage of funds in the government coffers is stated to be the reason behind the inadequate balance.

Official sources said the state government had directed the treasury officer here to stop all payments on July 23. After about 10 days, on August 2, the government flashed directions to release the salaries of the employees. Again on August 8, the treasury offices received a direction to clear the petrol, medical and advance GP bills.

Besides, other important bills including retirement benefits of employees, second installment of 30 per cent of arrears to employees and other bills amounting to about Rs 80 lakh in Fazilka treasury are still to be paid.

"It is virtually a financial emergency like situation. The retired employees are running from pillar to post to get their payments," alleged Raj Kishore Kalra, a former president of the Pensioners Association, Fazilka.

"The government should immediately release our final payment of GPF as we want to utilise it for our post retirement life," demanded retired head constables Rajwant Singh and Surjit Singh.

Even as Fazilka has entered the second year of its elevation as district headquarters, the office of the District Treasury Office (DTO) is yet to be established. For all payments to be cleared by the DTO, the documents have to be sent to Ferozepur which causes a considerable delay.

Absconding ‘Maoist leader’ held in Muktsar

Muktsar, August 9
Muktsar police today claimed to have arrested a Maoist leader, who was absconding for the last three years, in a case registered against him in Jalandhar district. A former government employee, Lajpat Rai alias Manveer Singh alias KD, was caught near the Market Committee office today, sources said.

Talking over the phone, SSP Mukstar, Inder Mohan Singh, said, “We have arrested a Maoist and handed him over to the Jalandhar police. Some literature related to Maoist activities has also been recovered from his possession.”

The SSP claimed that Lajpat Rai was also a senior executive of the National Revolutionary Democratic Front.

Meanwhile, Surinder Kumari, wife of Lajpat Rai, said her husband had been arrested in a fake case. “There is no case registered against him in any police station,” she claimed. — TNS

Stone laid for Barnala college auditorium
Tribune News Service

Barnala, August 9
The foundation stone of the auditorium-cum-sports hall at the LBS Arya Mahila College, Barnala, was laid by Rajinder Gupta, founder and chairman of the Trident Group of Industries on Wednesday.

He was welcomed by college principal Dr Neelam Sharma, collegiate school principal Ranjana Menon, president Surya Kant Shori, college secretary Bharat Bhushan Menon, vice-president Kewal Jindal, Harmail Joshi, Shashi Chopra and the NCC cadets.

The chief guest was presented a memento.

Rajinder Gupta assured cooperation in promoting education for girls and reiterated his belief in working for women's empowerment.