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Suspended IGP not new to controversies
Shruti case a wake-up call for Punjab Police
In line of
fire: The highly politicised force hardly has any time for the common man. A Tribune file photograph |
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Cong leaders to protest in Faridkot today
Railway officials point towards the bogey from where heroin was seized.
Tribune photo
Five hurt in clash at Shahkot gurdwara
Tight security outside a gurdwara in Shahkot. Tribune photo
Central Govt meddling in
Sikh affairs,
says Badal
Sukhbir's gift to school was indeed big: Maluka
Transporters stage dharna at ICP
12 teachers found absent in Sangrur
Scrap heliport project: Cong
Mohali court rebukes VB for hushing up case
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Suspended IGP not new to controversies
Patiala, October 20 He was the blue-eyed boy of the royal family of Patiala during the previous Congress government. Later, he found favours with Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal. He managed to stay as Patiala SSP despite being appointed on the post by the Congress regime in December 2006. Police circles were abuzz with talk that even the state government’s plan of putting in place a police commissionaire system in three districts was adopted to adjust Asthana. However, he was later dropped from the list. His earlier posting as SSP Barnala, before he became Patiala SSP, was also hit by a controversy. The then Barnala DSP (D) Baljit Singh had blamed Asthana for the death of a Barnala resident in police custody in August 2007. As the DSP allegedly received threats from some officers after his revelations, he had complained to the PPS Officers Association. There was a rift among IPS and PPS officers due to reinvestigations into the custodial death of Reuben Masih following violence in Bhadaur in 2006. During his tenure as Patiala SSP, Asthana’s closeness to Akali leaders became evident. From being an IPS officer brought to Patiala by the Congress, Asthana became SAD’s choicest officer. “Such was his clout that he continued as Patiala SSP till his promotion as DIG. He was again posted in the Patiala Range. The day he was promoted as DIG, he shifted many4 SHOs in the district before his batch mate Arpit Shukla’s joining the next day,” claimed a senior police officer. Asthana was shifted from Patiala following a complaint by the Congress that he met senior Akali leaders at a local hotel in 2009 ahead of the parliamentary elections. The Election Commission (EC) had shifted him for some time till the election process was over. Despite his removal as DIG, Patiala, Asthana continued to retain seven security personnel attached to him. Asthana was appointed the inquiry officer in a disproportionate assets case against former Punjab DGP Sarbjit Singh Virk. He was removed from the inquiry following court orders in 2010. A senior IPS officer said had there been some other officer, the government would have suspended him years ago due to several lapses on his part. “A preliminary enquiry by Dinkar Gupta, IPS, ADGP (Security), confirmed that Asthana was misusing his official position,” he stated.
Mired in a row
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Shruti case a wake-up call for Punjab Police
Chandigarh, October 20 Though Punjab Police chief Sumedh Singh Saini has admitted "initial laxity" in the case involving the abduction of 15-year-old Shruti Sachdeva from Faridkot on September 24, sources claim this was part of a bigger malaise affecting the force. Not only is the Punjab Police highly politicised, but officers at operative posts at the district level feel that their performance is judged by how satisfied Akali 'jathedars' are with their working. This means the officers have no time for the likes of Shruti's family, which was assured of justice only when the case became a political issue. At yesterday's Press conference, it must have been a revelation for Sukhbir that the Punjab Police has failed to nab prominent offenders in recent cases. The Deputy CM's decision to suspend two police officers can be seen in this light. The suspension of Inspector-General of Police SK Asthana is significant because he was seen as a 'blue eyed boy' of the political establishment. During the last parliamentary elections, he was even shifted from Patiala by the Election Commission following a complaint by Congress candidate Preneet Kaur. Sources said the Deputy CM had, by proceeding against the two officers, sent out a clear signal that the police force would have to change its ways. There is a feeling that part of the force is still in the hangover of the militancy days. Public Relations Minister Bikram Majithia said a lot of work had gone into tracing all the accused in the Shruti case, which was not being appreciated. He said similarly, the Deputy CM had adopted a no-nonsense approach earlier as well. "The number of officers suspended during the SAD-BJP rule has been the maximum ever," he said. The minister might have a point but there are feelings of disconnect between the aspirations of the Deputy CM for the Home Department, which he also heads, and the results the department is delivering. Some feel it is because of the new dispensation under Director General of Police SS Saini, which is considered to be aloof and inaccessible. Sources said though Saini had not been given full authority in choice of officers, his position was still better than the earlier DGPs who had to run the show with officers posted at sensitive positions not on their merit but their closeness with the political system. It is this nexus which Sukhbir has to break to ensure good policing in the state.
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Cong leaders to protest in Faridkot today
Faridkot, October 20 Among the leaders who will participate in the protest are PCC president Capt Amarinder Singh, CLP leader Sunil Jakhar and former CM Rajinder Kaur Bhattal. It’s been 26 days since Shruti was abducted from her house.
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Another drug haul from Pak train
Amritsar, October 20 The contraband worth Rs 115 crore was found hidden beneath a heap of cement bags inside a bogey. The officials arrested a porter who was allegedly spotted tampering with the metallic seal of the bogey. The accused has been identified as Puran Singh. Sources said with his arrest, the officials were hopeful of busting the smuggling racket which had been active on both sides of the border. The train had arrived at the Amritsar rail terminal late last night. Officials said the seal of the bogey from which the seizure was made was intact at Attari. It was found tampered with at the Amritsar terminal in the morning probably in an attempt to whisk away the consignment. This hinted at a possible attempt to tamper with the seal between Attari and Amritsar. The officials said the modus operandi in this case was similar to the one adopted during the earlier consignment of 105 kg of heroin, which was seized on October 9. Vijay Bahadur Singh, Deputy Commissioner, Customs, said the officials had seized heroin from coach No. 69925. "We have seized 23 packets of the contraband that were hidden beneath a heap of cement bags. As of now, we cannot say when the seal was broken or what role the porter played? He has been taken into custody by the DRI Department and investigations are on," he said. The frequent seizure of contraband from the rail cargo from Pakistan has put a question mark over the cement import from the neighbouring country. Indian importers had suspended cement import from Pakistan in August due to this reason. The exercise was resumed only a month ago after the Pakistani authorities replaced the earlier paper seal on the bogeys with that of a metal seal. Among the recent seizures, 5 kg of heroin was seized on June 2, 7 kg on July 16, 5 kg on August 3 and 105 kg on October 9.
Menace continues
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Five hurt in clash at Shahkot gurdwara
Shahkot, October 20 The incident took place inside the gurudwara where the groups were holding a meeting to finalise whether or not the “akhand path” be held at the dera. The meeting took a violent turn as arguments among rival members flared up. Though some police personnel were already deployed there since morning, they could not prevent the clash. Four members of Panthak Sewa Lehar (led by Baljit Singh Daduwal), Damdami Taksal and Satikar Committee, were injured in the clash and one sewadar of Dera Icchadhari (run by Sadhu Singh and Sarabjit Kaur) also sustained critical injuries. They were admitted to the Shahkot Civil Hospital. Leaders of the Panthak Sewa Lehar alleged that “akhand path” could not be held at the dera as it was against Sikh traditions. The other group claimed it had the permission from Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). They showed the letter of permission by SGPC for holding the ‘akhand path’ Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) HS Hundal said statements of members from both the groups admitted to the hospital were being recorded and action would be taken accordingly.
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Central Govt meddling in
Sikh affairs,
says Badal
Amritsar/Tarn
Taran, October 20 Criticising the proposed amendment by the Delhi Government to facilitate direct elections to choose the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee president, Badal said, “The move is aimed at installing a Congress loyalist on the post.” He said he would meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the issue. Making a jibe at Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi, he said, “The Congress lost elections because of its anti-people policies.” Badal also inaugurated the Punjab Institute of Technology, a branch of Punjab Technical University,
Jalandhar.
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Sukhbir's gift to school was indeed big: Maluka
Ludhiana October 20 The minister was in the city today to inaugurate the inter-district primary school games at Guru Nanak Stadium. Maluka said there would have been no controversy had the gift amount been small. "It is a common trend to give aid to one's alma mater. Ministers from Haryana, Rajasthan and other states also gift money to their schools in Punjab. It shows love for the alma mater. It is but true that the amount in Sukhbir's case was quite big," Maluka added. Meanwhile, in the inter-district games, most of the students were seen participating without shoes and sportswear. When asked, Maluka said: "We don't have funds to provide sports kits to the schoolchildren. I have talked to Sukhbir to provide funds to strengthen sports facilities in schools".
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Transporters stage dharna at ICP
Amritsar, October 20 The transporters said there were restrictions on the number of persons accompanying a truck inside the ICP compound. They alleged as the compound did not have a food joint, the truckers did not want to park their vehicles there. The transporters demanded that 25 per cent of the trucks taken inside the ICP should belong to the Attari Truck Union. Later, a delegation of exporters from Amritsar visited the ICP and all parties concerned held a meeting with the authorities. The issue was resolved and the transporters lifted the dharna around 12 noon.
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12 teachers found absent in Sangrur
Sangrur, October 20 Over 17 teachers were late and eight teachers were found to be absent for a long period. The teams checked the schools to assess their infrastructure, standard of education provided and the implementation of mid-day meal scheme. The Director General’s office has said show-cause notices would be issued to erring teachers. Those unable to give a satisfactory explanation will be chargesheeted, it said.
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Scrap heliport project: Cong
Muktsar, October 20 In a statement issued to the media, former Bholath MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira and former Kotkapura MLA Ripjit Singh Brar termed the project as non-productive and extravagant expenditure by the ruling Badals at the cost of an already dilapidated public exchequer. "The Congress sees no public interest in the project other than providing luxury to the Badal family. It must be scrapped," they said.
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Mohali court rebukes VB for hushing up case
Mohali, October 20 Special Judge, Mohali, Rajinder Aggarwal has reprimanded the investigating officer (IO) of the VB, observing: “It seems that he (the IO) has again made an attempt to hush up the matter”. While rejecting the cancellation report by the VB in the case, the court held: “In case, the VB does not conduct further investigation as per directions issued by this court, it would take action against the official concerned and the matter can even be referred to the High Court with the request that the investigation of this case be handed over to some other agency.” The court had already directed the VB to examine whether or not the persons, to whom the licences in question were issued, were bona fide residents of Amritsar at that time. It also ordered the bureau to find out whether the licences had been issued from Amritsar or these were renewed from there. The court maintained that the IO concerned submitted a vague report in this connection without conducting further investigations as per the directions of the court. Over 54 duplicate licences had been issued by District Magistrate Arvinderpal Singh Sandhu to many residents of other states. These persons showed their temporary address in Amritsar district to get duplicate licences. A letter in this regard was also written by the then District Magistrate, Amritsar, to the then Chief Secretary of Punjab on September 23, 2002.
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The Shruti abduction case has served as a wake-up call for the Punjab Police even as Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal has used the opportunity to take action against erring policemen.
Five persons were seriously injured after two groups clashed at a gurdwara in Dhandowal village near here this morning. The groups reportedly came to blows over holding an “akand path” at Dera Icchadhari on the outskirts of the village.
The incident took place inside the gurudwara where the groups were holding a meeting to finalise whether or not the “akhand path” be held at the dera. The meeting took a violent turn as arguments among rival members flared up.
