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Shaky start to paddy procurement in state
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Millers make fresh purchases to reduce deficit
State weighing options on Centre’s power package
Rs 1 crore to Sanawar school from Punjab Nirman funds
Terrorist Sukhi’s arrest opens a can of worms
“Mission Ludhiana” a Herculean task for MC
Lawyers oppose subdivision status for Maur
Akali leader ‘blocks’ inquiry
Politicians on arrested militant’s radar
Teachers gherao DEO
Foundation stone of modern bus stand laid
Development plan for kandi areas soon, says CM
Punjab govt issued notice on TET
BDPO held in Ranike scam
Abduction Case
Travel agent, 7 others held with fake visas
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Shaky start to paddy procurement in state
Chandigarh, October 3 The procurement staff of Punjab Agro Industries Corporation, Pungrain, Punjab Food and Civil Supplies, Punjab Mandi Board and Punjab Warehousing Corporation has refused to initiate the process till they are absolved of the responsibility for losses incurred due to the storage of paddy in private mills by the government. Of the 45,000 tonne paddy that has arrived in the grain markets across the state so far, the government agencies (mainly the central food agency - Food Corporation of India) have purchased only 300 tonne. The remaining paddy has either been lying in the grain markets or sold to private millers. The staff in the state government agencies wants the government to absolve them of the responsibility of being joint custodians of paddy stored in rice shellers, along with private sheller owners. Bhupinder Singh, president, Joint Punjab Food Grain Employees Coordination Committee, said the employees of the procurement agencies had been at the receiving end, with cases slapped against them and the employees losing retirement benefits in case the paddy stored in the mill was pilfered. “The millers are siphoning off paddy and over 650 employees are bearing the brunt,” he alleged.
Arhtiyas’ offer
The Arhtiya Association, Punjab, has offered to store the paddy arriving in the market till the time the issue is resolved. Ravinder Cheema, president of the association, said the commission agents were willing to get the paddy packed in gunny bags till the time the state government agencies started the procurement process. He said paddy arrival had begun in Ferozepur, Tarn Taran, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Gurdaspur, Ropar and
Mohali.
Millers aggrieved
The rice millers, too, are on the warpath with the state government over its new paddy policy, which makes it mandatory for the millers to give a bank guarantee to the state government for storing their paddy. They have refused to allow storage of paddy in their units till the stipulation of bank guarantee is removed. Owing to the shortage of storage space, the state procurement agencies directly store paddy in rice shellers, where custom milling of paddy is done. But due to slow lifting of paddy stored in shellers, many rice sheller owners have allegedly connived with procurement agency staff and siphoned off the produce. Millers said the government had raised the amount of bank guarantee from Rs 1.50 lakh to a minimum of Rs 30 lakh (and more based on the milling capacity of the unit). A rice sheller owner in Macchiwara said it would lead to massive capital investment by a rice sheller owner. Another rice sheller owner in Amritsar rued the fact that the government wanted them to pay for storing paddy in their units, but was not willing to lift the paddy from their shellers. Around 1.90 lakh tonne paddy purchased by the state government agencies in 2009-10, 1.80 lakh tonne purchased in 2010-11 and almost the entire paddy purchased last year is lying in the shellers across the state.
the contention
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Millers make fresh purchases to reduce deficit
Moga, October 3 Sources in the regional office of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) said most rice mills of the district were yet to deliver about one lakh tonne paddy from the last year’s stock even as the new crop had started arriving in the market. Around 300 rice mills of the district were to deliver 7.36 lakh tonne rice to the central pool but they had so far delivered only 6.30 lakh tonne, the sources said. Last year, the millers had failed to deliver two lakh tonne rice in time to the central food agency. This backlog of 2010 continued even after the procurement of the crop in 2011. The Union government had extended the deadline for milling last year’s paddy to October 31 but there wasn’t enough stock left in the mills to deliver it to the central food agency. Sources said the early arrival of the new crop had come as a boon for the rice millers, as it would help them deliver the milled rice to the central agency. Some rice mills owned by influential politicians had reportedly imported cheaper varieties of rice from other states to complete their stocks. Frauds committed by rice millers over the few years have prompted the state government to make changes in the milling policy for 2012-13, making the millers and procurement agencies jointly responsible for the stock of crop stored in the mills to prevent losses. The entire stock of procured paddy is sent to rice millers for cleaning, shelling and polishing of grains. The millers return finished product back to the FCI in the central pool.
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State weighing options on Centre’s power package
Chandigarh, October 3 The Centre has announced a package to restructure loans of power corporations of various states. However, there are several riders attached to the package. The state governments accepting the package will have to implement the conditions laid down by the Centre. Sources said PSPCL had an outstanding short-term loan of Rs 10,000 crore. The state government will have to take over 50 per cent of this loan amounting to Rs 5,000 crore and issue bonds to the lenders. The remaining loan will be rescheduled by the banks concerned to make its repayment easier for PSPCL. The Centre will reimburse 25 per cent (Rs 1,250 crore) of the loan amount taken over the state government. The Finance Department has told the Chief Minister that the package is worth accepting. Among the riders attached to the package include a condition that PSPCL will have to give metered supply to all consumers. At present, the farm sector is getting unmetered power supply free of cost. It is often alleged that most of the power theft and line losses were shown as consumption in the farm sector. The power subsidy bill of the state government has gone up to Rs 5,400 crore from Rs 2,700 crore four years ago. “With metered supply to the farm sector, the power subsidy bill is bound to come down,” said a senior government
functionary. The sources said barring a few, senior officials of the power department were also in favour of accepting the package.
the riders
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Rs 1 crore to Sanawar school from Punjab Nirman funds
Chandigarh, October 3 Already in Sanawar for the school’s 165th Founders Day celebrations, the Deputy CM is expected to make a formal announcement in this regard tomorrow. Initiated in 2006-2007 as a part of the 12th Five-Year-Plan, the Punjab Nirman Programme is primarily meant for municipal works, installation of
tubewells, development of historical villages, Ambedkar Bhavans, sports
stadia, water supply schemes, construction of dharamshalas, streets, drains and toilets. The office of the Principal Secretary (Planning) has sanctioned the money for the school on the condition that the department concerned ensured the amount was provided for in the revised estimates for 2012-2013. Addressing a press conference here today, Congress leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira alleged that the Finance Department had flouted all rules in allotting money to a school in Himachal Pradesh when the state finances were in a shambles. He said the state was under a colossal debt of Rs 80,000 crore and was unable to pay salaries to its employees and to run welfare
schemes. Satish Chandra, Principal Secretary, Planning, said that money under the specific head was meant for development of infrastructure. Since the area did not fall in Punjab, the state Cabinet had formally cleared the allocation for the school. An official spokesperson said: “The criticism of the grant to Lawrence School exposes the parochial mindset of former legislator Khaira as famous education institutions belong to the entire nation and not to a particular state." He said this 174-old school had the Secretary, Human Resource Development, as its governing body chairperson with the
GOC-in-C, Western Command, as ex officio member. He said Khaira, after losing the assembly election, had been making wild allegations to remain in the limelight. But Khaira said: "A school like
Sanawar, that was founded by the British, has no dearth of funds. Giving the school a grant from funds meant for Punjab Nirman will make us a laughing stock." The government should withdraw the cheque to the school, he added.
Sukhbir gets nostalgic
Nostalgic on his visit to the school, he said: “I am feeling as if I have travelled back in time. It feels like it is 1980 and the moments are frozen in time”. He went around the campus reminiscing his days as a student along with his several
batchmates. — With inputs from Ambika Sharma
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SGPC writes to Army seeking control of historic shrine in Leh
Amritsar, October 3 Sources said SGPC President Avtar Singh Makkar would meet the Army Chief to take up the matter with him in the near future. The move came after an SGPC panel visited historic gurdwaras in the Ladakh region and recommended the handing over of the management of gurdwaras located in the Ladakh region to the premiere Sikh body. The panel recently visited these shrines and took stock of the prevailing scenario there. There are two historic gurdwaras - Gurdwara Pathar Sahib and Gurdwara Datan Sahib - in Ladakh. Both shrines are associated with Guru Nanak Dev. The Army is currently looking after the management of Gurdwara Pathar Sahib. The panel found that the Army jawans were managing the gurdwara well. “They are maintaining the ‘maryada’ while administering gurdwara affairs. The devotees visiting the shrines are also served ‘langar’.” However, the panel members felt that there was room for improvement and the SGPC should take over the management of the shrine. The number of tourists visiting Ladakh has gone up considerably, which has contributed to the increase in the number of devotees visiting the historic gurdwara. The panel opined that the structure of the gurdwara could be expanded to cater to the future needs. Gurdwara Datan Sahib is a temporary structure located around an ancient tree near the main market in Leh. The local Sikhs have been trying to acquire some land and build a gurdwara there.
Ladakh shrines
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Terrorist Sukhi’s arrest opens a can of worms
Ludhiana, October 3 As the controversy surrounding alleged police protection to Sukhi is gaining ground, a Ludhiana based NGO has demanded a CBI probe in the Sukhwinder Singh Sukhi fake encounter case. Satnam Singh Dhaliwal, president of Universal Human Rights Organisation (UHRO) said, “If Sukhi is alive then who was killed in the fake police encounter.” Captain Amrinder had stated in the assembly in 2006 that Sukhi was shown dead by putting a sauce on his clothes in the larger interest of the nation. Sukhi was running his drug trade under the garb of a new name Harjit Singh Kahlon, stated Delhi police following the arrest. Retired Justice RS Sodhi, advisor of UHRO termed the statement of the then Chief Minister Capt Amrinder Singh as misleading. “Former Punjab Director General of Police SS Virk in an interview to a television channel yesterday clearly stated that a man who died in a police encounter nearly 20 years “ago was shown as Sukhi”. I do not know who is saying the truth,” said Former Justice RS Sodhi. Satnam Singh Dhaliwal said after every encounter police conducts a postmortem. If it was not Sukhi then whose postmortem was conducted? He even went on to claim that police officers received gallantry medals on the basis of fake encounters. “DIG Paramraj Singh Umranangal, received a gallantry medal from the President by showing that Gurnam Singh Bandala died in a police encounter, but he was later found alive,” said Advocate BP Singh Gill, member
of UHRO. The NGO has demanded Rs 1 core compensation for the kin of the man who died in the fake encounter.
Kandola connection
The discovery of notorious drug lord Ranjit Singh alias Raja Kandola's connection with former terrorist Sukhwinder Singh Sukhi has sent alarm bells ringing among the rank and file of the police department. The state police is suspecting that Kandola might be in touch with other former terrorists. Kandola, who was arrested by Delhi police in August this year for his involvement in the Rs 200 crore 'Ice' (rave party drug) haul case in Jalandhar, escaped from the custody of police on September 25. Police is suspecting that the close aides of former terrorist, who are trying to revive terrorism in the state, might have helped Kandola in escaping from police custody.
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Govt schools stop getting subsidised cylinders
Patiala, October 3 Headmaster of Government High School, Chappar, Harpal Singh said Gurjindra Gas Agency, Ghanaur, had refused to supply them with subsidised cylinders, stating that the school would have to buy commercial cylinders. “The agency owner said he wouldn’t supply us with the six subsidised cylinders that we are entitled to, as schools did not come under the domestic sector. He said we would have to purchase every cylinder at Rs 1,160. We cannot afford to spend so much money on gas,” said Harpal Singh. Bahadur Singh, Principal of Government Senior Secondary School, Marhu, said, “Depending on the strength of students, every school requires at least 7 to 15 cylinders every month and paying such a high price for one cylinder will raise the cost of cooking manifold,” he said. “Teachers have already been contributing from their own pockets to continue the scheme and they cannot afford to pay for this additional cost,” added another school principal. When contacted, Kahan Singh Pannu, Director General of School Education, Punjab, said, “Central govt informed us they were already in talks with Consumer Affairs Department and they will either provide subsidised cylinders to schools or provide us with more funds,” he said.
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“Mission Ludhiana” a Herculean task for MC
Ludhiana, October 3 However, sources in the local bodies department claim that majority of funds for these projects will come from the centre government. Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal gave his approval to the development plan called “Mission Ludhiana” for the city and adjoining areas on Saturday. Even though this “Mission Ludhiana” has been approved, revenue generation is going to be a Herculean task for the MC and the state government as most projects are already behind schedule. “The centre government has already provided funds for the ongoing up gradation and construction of sewerage lines in the city. Funds were also provided for the construction of flats for the urban poor and other projects under the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). The MC will also generate its own funds,” claimed a senior official in Local Bodies Department. However, MC Commissioner Rakesh Kumar Verma said at present the working of the MC was not being carried out in a planned manner. “We are in the process of formulating a plan. We will also hire a private consultancy firm that would guide us on the financial aspects of the projects. This way, all projects will have clear deadlines and none of them will get delayed. The development will be carried out in a phased manner. Funds will not be an issue,” claimed Verma.
PROJECTS DELAYED
Lakkar Bridge: When the project was initiated in 1997, its estimated cost was Rs 13 crore but it has now skyrocketed to Rs 58 crore. The deadline of the completion of work was March 31. Indoor Stadium on Pakhowal Road: The project started in 2004 and at the time its estimated cost was Rs 16 crore. The construction of the project stalled in 2007 only to resume in May 2010. Now its cost is Rs 25.89 crore. Covering of Ganda Nullah: It was to be covered from Gurudwara Dukh Niwaran Sahib till Shagun Palace. The deadline for completion of this project was March, which has now been extended to December. Expressway along Sidhwan Canal: The foundation stone of this Rs 318 crore project was laid in the 2009. This project is running behind schedule.
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Lawyers oppose subdivision status for Maur
In a memorandum to the Chief Minister and the Prime Minister, the association claimed that the Phul subdivision had been reduced to a tehsil having been left with only 39 villages. They alleged that residents of villages that had been included in the Maur subdivision would now have to travel longer distances for legal and administrative work. Maur town has been made a subdivision largely owing to the efforts of Irrigation Minister Janmeja Singh Sekhon who represents the Maur constituency. He had promised the electorate that Maur would be made a subdivision. Talking to The Tribune, Sekhon said the government had not taken an arbitrary decision on the issue. “The panchayats of the villages in question passed a resolution approving their inclusion in the Maur subdivision,” he maintained. He said the lawyers may have a problem as many cases would now be transferred to the new subdivision. Mohinder Singh Bahniwal and Satpal Singh Saini, president and general secretary of the Bar Association, respectively, said the village panchayats may have adopted a resolution under political pressure but the residents needed to be made aware of the disadvantages. They asked the Chief Minister to rethink on the issue as the government was yet to notify the creation of the new subdivision. The villages that have been attached to the Maur subdivision are Burj Mansaian, Jaid, Buggar, Jeond, Chotian, Pitho, Gill Kalan, Rampura, Kararwala, Jawahar Nagar, Ghurella, Bhaini Chuhar, Gharelli, Chowke, Badiala, Pirkot, Balloh, Kotra, Mandi Khurd, Bhunder, Gill Khurd, Mandi Kalan,Nandgarh kotra,Dhade, Burj Mansa, Balianwali, Janduke, Dikh, Ramanwas, Sooch, Harkishanpura, Khokhar and Gill.
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Akali leader ‘blocks’ inquiry
Gurdaspur, October 3 Sources say the Financial Commissioner, Rural Development, acting on a complaint, had asked Gurdaspur Deputy Commissioner (DC) Dr Abhinav Trikha to inquire into accusations of fraud against the sarpanch of Sahari village in the Dhariwal block pertaining to Indira Awas Yojna funds. A top officer said the Block Development Panchayat Officer
(BDPO) of the Dhariwal block, acting under political pressure, had credited Rs 35 lakh meant for the scheme to the sarpanch’s account. The DC, as ordered, marked the inquiry to the Additional DC (General), who started the probe in right earnest. However, when he went to the village for physical verification, he was allegedly “ordered” by a senior SAD leader to scuttle the proceedings. Nevertheless, the officer conducted the probe and submitted a report to the DC who raised a plethora of objections on the inquiry. The sarpanch claimed that he was directly buying construction material under the scheme as “the beneficiaries have passed a resolution in the gram panchayat to this effect.” The DC denied any interference in the working of the district administration. But top officials, who did not want to be quoted, said they were fed up with the constant meddling of politicians, also designated as halqa in charge of the very Vidhan Sabha seats they had lost to the Congress rivals. The Sahari incident may take a political hue with Dera Baba Nanak legislator Sukhjinder Randhawa saying he would knock the doors of the Punjab and Haryana High Court to ensure that the grant, meant for the poorest of the poor, was not misused by
sarpanches. Sahari village falls in Randhawa’s Vidhan Sabha constituency.
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Politicians on arrested militant’s radar
Jalandhar, October 3 The sources said Azad had disclosed the names of a number of politicians he was eyeing to kill. The police has alerted his intended targets as a precautionary measure. Police sources confirmed that the security agencies had also sounded an alert keeping in view Azad’s disclosure. The police officers conducting the investigation refused to divulge the names of the politicians figuring on Azad’s hit list. Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police, Special Branch, Diljinder Singh Dhillon said soon after Azad’s arrest, they had alerted religious figures like Ashutosh Maharaj of Nurmehal, Baba Ram Raheem Singh of Sirsa and Baba Bhaniarawala, who were on his radar. The police had now strengthened the security cover around the politicians named by the militant. The sources said the police had found Rs 1.30 crore stashed away in 14 bank accounts held by Azad in rural branches at Nakodar, Adampur, Alawalpur, Lambra, etc. They were now looking into the transactions to ascertain the source of the money. A native of Duhre village, Azad has confessed to his links with banned terrorist outfits like the Babbar Khalsa International, the Khalistan Zindabad Force and the Khalistan Tiger Force.
targets alerted
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Illegal structures in Sangrur demolished
Sangrur, October 3 While carrying out the demolition drive, the administration deployed a duty magistrate, fire brigade staff, police personnel, municipal employees and the health staff at the site. Two JCB machines and an equal number of tractor-trailers were pressed into service. Surjit Singh said a survey by the Central Works Division had found that about 65 persons had encroached upon the PWD land. He said the violators were served notices several times, but they ignored the same. The EO said he had even held meetings with them and told them to remove the encroachments on their own. While some of them removed the encroachments, the remaining were demolished by the MC authorities today, he said.
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Won’t let Rahul address rallies in Punjab: BKU
Chandigarh, October 3 Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to visit the state at the end of next week. The BKU has also threatened to gherao the Congress Members of Parliament (MPs) in the state in the future. The BKU leader Balbir Singh Rajewal today said farmers in the state spent an additional amount of Rs 5,500 crore on diesel and other inputs to irrigate paddy and other crops during the drought-like situation. Owing to rain deficit, farmers had to spend a lot on money on diesel to irrigate the crop. Some weeks ago, the Union Minister Sharad Pawar and Jairam Ramesh had come here to discuss the amount of money that needed to be given to farmers as relief. The state government had sought a package of Rs 5,112 crore from the Centre in this regard. However, the Centre has not given a single penny. Rajewal said BKU would hold protest marches during Rahul Gandhi’s visit and would not allow him to speak at any place in the state.
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Teachers gherao DEO
Ropar, October 3 Denying the charges, Harjit Singh said he had received an anonymous complaint that the grant allocated to the school in Tajpur under the Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan was being misused. He visited the school today to check the records and found
that several purchase bills were not in order. He questioned schoolteacher Anita in this regard. Incensed, the latter called union leaders to her aid. She also called up her colleagues in adjoining villages, alleging that the DEO was in the school and was harassing her. Block Development Education Officer Preet Mohinder Singh reached the spot and tried to sort out the issue even as the teachers, led by union leaders, gheraoed the DEO and raised slogans against him. On their insistence, the DEO was made to undergo a medical examination at the Morinda hospital. Deputy Commissioner PK Aggarwal, when contacted, said he would take action only after he received the medical report.
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Foundation stone of modern bus stand laid
Fatehgarh Sahib, October 3 Badal said the state had made elaborate arrangements for the smooth procurement of paddy but non availability of storage was hindering the entire operation. Earlier, Badal also announced to set up a new Veterinary Hospital, administrative complex, community centre and sports stadium and a Skill Development Center for Bassi Pathana. Prominent among others who were present were Transport Minister Ajit Singh Kohar and Rural Development Minister Surjit Singh Rakhra.
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Development plan for kandi areas soon, says CM
Ropar, October 3 While addressing a gathering after laying the foundation stone of 16-km-long Kullar-Rattewal-Tibba Nangal-Bainsa-Sarai Ka Pattan (Bunga Sahib) road, Badal said the road, named as Maharaj Sri Bhahma Nand ji Bhuriwale Marg, would be constructed at a cost of Rs 28.5 crore. He said he would soon hold a two-day Sangat Darshan programme in villages of the region. He would convene a meeting of senior officers of the Water Supply and Sanitation Department to resolve the problem of contaminated water in 45 villages of Nurpur block, he said. The Chief Minister also announced to set up a municipal committee in Nurpur Bedi village. He released Rs 1.75 crore for an irrigation scheme and Rs 45 lakh for the construction
of a health centre at Abiyana Kalan.
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Punjab govt issued notice on TET
Chandigarh, October 3 Justice Tejinder Singh Dhindsa issued the notice on a petition filed by Parminder Pal and three other B. Ed qualified candidates. The Counsel for the petitioners stated before High Court that Punjab Government issued a public notice dated July 9, 2012, inviting applications for appointment to 5078 posts. A condition was added in the public notice that only those candidates passing the Teacher Eligibilty
Test examination conducted by the State would be eligible for submitting applications. The petitioners' counsel pointed out that under the provisions of “Right to Education Act, 2009”, the National Council for Teachers Education had issued guidelines to all the State Governments on February 11, 2011, and directed them that TET examination must be conducted at least once in a year. Counsel further pointed out that the last Teacher Eligibilty Test examination was conducted on July 3, 2011, and thereafter Teacher Eligibilty Test examination has not been conducted.
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BDPO held in Ranike scam
These villages are part of the Attari constituency represented by Gulzar Singh Ranike who had to resign from the Cabinet following reports of embezzlement of development funds in his constituency. Funds worth crores were allegedly misappropriated by Ranike's personal assistant Sarabhdyal Singh, who has absconded. Rupinderjit Singh, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Vigilance, said Satwinder Singh, posted at Gandiwind village, had issued a certificate regarding utilisation of development funds. On the involvement of Daleep Singh and Amrik Singh in the scam, he said the bank accounts which were used for embezzlement of funds were in the name of the two former sarpanches. The documents and photographs provided to the bank for opening the bank accounts were found to be genuine, Rupinderjit Singh said. Earlier, the police had arrested three persons, including a bank manager, for their alleged role in the bungling. "This is for the first time that a senior Punjab Government employee has been arrested. This will lead to more arrests in the near future," sources said, adding that a hunt has been launched to nab the mastermind behind the scam (Sarabhdyal Singh). A local court has already dismissed Sarabhdyal's anticipatory bail application. The Vigilance Bureau has added new Sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act against him. Sarabhdyal was earlier booked along with several bank officials for embezzling funds worth Rs 1.15 crore by encashing cheques for grants on fake accounts.
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Abduction Case
Faridkot, October 3 Nirmal Singh Kahlon, Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and Paramraj Singh Umranangal, Deputy Inspector-General of Police are camping in Faridkot to supervise the investigations. The police has reportedly contacted Akali leaders close to Nishan Singh to seek their help in the case. A police team, led by Nirmal Singh Kahlon, Faridkot IG, Member of Parliament Paramjit Gulshan and MLAs Deep Malhotra and Mantar Singh Brar, met the parents of the kidnapped girl late last evening. They also spoke to other residents in the vicinity. Most blamed the Faridkot police for its lackadaisical approach in the kidnapping case. Names of several political leaders figure on Nishan Singh's facebook account besides that of Bruce Lee. On the list of his favourite movies are "Hathyar", "Vaastav", "Company" and "Shootout at Lokhandwala". His favourite song is "Saade hi paise te sarkaran chaldian ne."
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7 farmers nabbed with heroin
Amritsar, October 3 “These farmers were loading bundles of grass on a tractor-trailer. The jawans searched the bundles and recovered three packets of high-quality heroin weighing 1 kg each,” said the IG. Budh Singh, his son Sarwan Singh, Harpal Singh, Karaj Singh, Sukhdev Singh, Dharamveer Singh, all residents of Mehandipur village, and Saraj Singh, Budh Singh's son-in-law, were arrested. Sources said Budh Singh and his family were reportedly involved in smuggling 18 packets of heroin last year. The sources said that Pakistan-based smugglers like Zulfalikar, Waris Punni, Shera, Butta and Liakat Ali worked in collusion with residents of Mehandipur village.
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Travel agent, 7 others held with fake visas Amritsar, October 3 Those arrested were Harpal Singh, Navdeep Singh, Jarnail Singh, Harnek Singh, Jaswinder Singh, Kulwinder Singh and Lakhwinder Kaur, besides Vimal Kumar, the travel agent. Jaswinder Singh belonged to Sriganganagar while others belonged to Kapurthala and Jalandhar. They were handed over to the police in the evening and a case of fraud was registered against them. The travel agent had allegedly taken between Rs 12 lakh and Rs 15 lakh from each client for a Canadian visa. — TNS
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Sanawar: Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today visited Lawrence School,
Sanawar, to take part in the 165th Founder’s Day celebrations of the school. He witnessed colourful events presented by the students.
Bathinda, October 3
Amritsar, October 3