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Muktsar ex-ADC comes under scanner
The funds were part of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act |
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Ranike Case: Sarbhdyal in VB remand till Oct
26
Heroin haul: Arrested porter names ASI
The wagon from where heroin was seized, which led to the arrest of porter Puran Chand on Saturday. A Tribune file photo
NRI conclave: Sukhbir reviews arrangements
Rs
35 lakh diamond robbery
Sukhbir to head urban amenities panel
Punjabi varsity’s forensics dept gets
Rs 58.5 lakh grant
Social activists insist on martyr Dhingra’s memorial, hold
protest
Tension grips village after dispute over gurdwara land
Nasrali is Mandi Gobindgarh MC president
Daughter raped by old-time friend
Zira youth rapes cousin for months
3 booked for locking education office staff
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Muktsar ex-ADC comes under scanner
Acting upon a complaint, present Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) NS Bath has even begun investigations into the alleged misappropriation. Bath said, “As per the complaint received, the official who earlier held the charge of ADC (D) Muktsar is accused of releasing MGNREGA funds for the purchase of stationery items without verifying the works for which the payment was made.” He said the complaint was received 15 days ago. “I have started investigations. The statements of a superintendent and a few other officials have been recorded. Correspondence has been made twice to the officer concerned whose role is in question to come and record his statement for a speedy probe,” he said. The investigating officer said the grant amounted to around Rs 40 lakh, which was paid to a printer for purchasing stationery items under the job scheme for the entire district. Deputy Commissioner Paramjit Singh said, “We have taken the matter seriously. Even before receiving the complaint, I had told the present ADC to investigate the matter as I had received some verbal inputs about alleged irregularities in payments made under the MGNREGA.” He said records had been seized and the matter was under investigation. Kuldeep Singh, who at present holds the charge of Land Acquisition Collector, Improvement Trust, Ludhiana, confirmed that he had been contacted by the Muktsar ADC. “I got a call today. The matter in question is payment made for the purchase of stationery goods under the MGNREGA. The payment was made from one government department to another. I am ready to get my statement recorded and whosoever is found guilty should be booked as per the law.”
Synopsis of the matter
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Ranike Case: Sarbhdyal in VB remand till Oct
26
Amritsar, October 23 Sarbhdyal, the main accused in the border area development fund scam as well as the rural welfare fund scam, was produced in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Ranjit Kaur today at the end of his three-day remand. The Senior superiontendent of Police (SSP), Vigilance, Opinder Singh Ghuman, said Sarbhdyal had not named anybody during his interrogation. Sarbhdyal's counsel Ajay Vermani contended that he was being made a 'scapegoat'. He was granted permission to meet his client for an hour between 3 pm and 4 pm everday during the remand period. Public prosecutor Neelam Sharma told the court that more fake bank accounts with local branches of the Punjab and Sind Bank and the ICICI Bank had surfaced during the interrogation of 23 persons who had been arrested so far. She said since it was a time-consuming exercise to locate the fake account-holders and their guarantors, Sarbhdyal’s remand should be extended by at least 10 days. Vermani argued that since the VB had failed to produce any substantial evidence to establish his client’s involvement in the scam, the latter should be sent to judicial custody forthwith. He also said that the VB was trying to shield the main culprits. “Sarbhdyal is being made a scapegoat whereas the real culprits are still at large due to political patronage. He did not authenticate anyone for opening or operating a bank account. The Vigilance has no grounds to hold him guilty”, he argued.
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Heroin haul: Arrested porter names ASI
Amritsar, October 23 The Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) was posted at a police post in the proximity of the rail cargo facility in Amritsar. His role came under the scanner in connection with the recovery of 23 kg of heroin from a Pakistani goods train on October 20 after Puran Singh, a porter nabbed by the DRI in the case, named him as the person "who was supposed to receive the consignment". Interestingly, both Puran Singh and Ranjit Singh belong to Modhe village, which strengthens the DRI suspicion. Sources said intelligence agencies were suspecting the ASI's involvement in earlier cases of heroin seizures as well. A total of 155 kg of heroin has been seized in goods trains from Pakistan in six separate instances since May this year, the biggest one being 105 kg on October 8. His role is particularly under the scanner in the case in which the BSF seized 10 kg of heroin and fake currency amounting to Rs 15.83 lakh after it was thrown from a Pakistani goods train two km inside the Indian territory. There are reports that Ranjit Singh was posted somewhere around that particular area where the bag containing heroin and fake currency was thrown. The DRI has already conducted raids at Modhe village to look for the absconding police official, but drew a blank. Deputy Commissioner (Customs) Vijay Bahadur Singh confirmed that Ranjit Singh was posted near rail cargo. He said his arrest could lead to more revelations in the case. He said another porter, Angrej Singh, an accomplice of Puran Singh, was also absconding. Confirming that Ranjit Singh had been dismissed, Punjab Armed Police 9 Battalion Commandant Charanjit Singh said he was posted in Amritsar city for the past month and a half. Before that, he was posted at Pul Kanjari village on the Amritsar-Attari road. Amritsar Police Commissioner Ram Singh said Ranjit Singh was part of the extra force deployed in the city for the festive season. Porter Puran Singh was arrested while he was allegedly tampering with the metallic seal of the rail wagon that contained the heroin consignment from Pakistan. It was the first ever arrest in the recent instances of heroin seizures in rail cargo from the neighbouring nation. Prior to the two heroin seizures this month, 5 kg was seized on June 2, 7 kg on July 16 and 5 kg on August 3. Apart from it, the BSF had seized 10 kg of heroin while it was thrown out of a goods train from Pakistan between Attari and Amritsar on May 25.
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NRI conclave: Sukhbir reviews arrangements
Chandigarh, October 23 Expressing concern over illegal occupation of properties of NRIs in Punjab, Sukhbir asked Principal Secretary (NRI Affairs) NS Kang to form a sub-committee and come out with a legal framework to ensure protection of NRI properties. It was also decided to draw a list of lawyers for every city, which would be displayed on the web so that NRIs could avail of their services, if need be. Concerned at the youth detained in various countries, Sukhbir asked the NRI Affairs Department to conduct a census of such youth in coordination with foreign embassies to compile a list so that modalities for getting them released or providing them legal aid could be worked out. Showing concern over the rising number of cases of illegal immigration and travel agents fleecing the youth, the Deputy CM said the state government had already given its approval to the 'Human Trafficking Act' and was awaiting the assent of the Union Government. He said after the notification of the Act, Punjab would be able to check such malpractices. On fraudulent marriages by NRIs, Sukhbir said the government was awaiting approval of the Centre for compulsory registration of marriages by NRIs to check the menace.
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Rs
35 lakh diamond robbery
Ludhiana, October 23 Mouthing expletives against the police officers who held a press conference yesterday, Chauhan said the probe team has deliberately withheld the name of an officer in order to defame him. ADCP special security branch Harmohan Singh, ADCP-III Joginder Singh and ACP-west Gurpreet Kaur Purewal conducted a press conference yesterday. They then said two among the three caught in connection with the robbery were police officers. The officers further stated that ASI Amar Singh and head constable Rajinder Kumar were working in the office of the IG traffic (Punjab) at the police headquarters in Chandigarh. “They are not working in my department. I read the news this morning and was hurt. My family members, relatives and friends got upset on reading the news,” said the IG. Chauhan said he spoke to the senior police officers this morning and was allowed to hold a press conference. “I will file a defamation case against these officers and drag them to court. They have deliberately concealed the truth in order to protect someone," said Chauhan, adding that he had no grudges against Ludhiana Commissioner of Police Ishwar Singh. He said Commissioner of Police Ishwar Singh should hold a probe to find out how the officer co ducting the press conference went beyond the brief he was given and named the office of IG traffic.
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Sukhbir to head urban amenities panel
Chandigarh, October 23 The sites meant for outdoor advertisement would be auctioned in a transparent manner. In a bid to streamline the administration, the Cabinet also gave its nod to the creation of 68 posts in the Directorate of Governance Reforms (DGR). The Cabinet approved the setting up of a Cabinet sub-committee under the chairmanship of Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal to devise a comprehensive policy for maintenance of sewerage, water supply, stormwater and roads in urban areas. It was decided that freight charges (totalling Rs 35.50 crore) on transporting 16 lakh tonnes of paddy from Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Kapurthala and Jalandhar mills would be borne by the state government as procurement agencies. The Cabinet mourned the demise of former Governor of Kerala Sukhdev Singh Kang and that of Ludhiana-based Principal Correspondent of a leading English daily, Amrita
Chaudhary.
Key Cabinet Decisions
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Punjabi varsity’s forensics dept gets
Rs 58.5 lakh grant
Patiala, October 23 Department head Rakesh K Garg said it is for the first time in the country that such an amount has been given to any forensic science department for improvement in research and teaching facilities. "Earlier, with additional financial support from the university, the department had been able to establish a computer and cyber lab. With this special financial assistance from UGC, the department plans to renovate the already existing infrastructure, laboratories, purchase modern new equipment, hold symposia and offer visiting fellowships and also improve the teaching and research aactivities in a more effective manner," he added.
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Social activists insist on martyr Dhingra’s memorial, hold
protest
Amritsar, October 23 Activists of organisations like Sarab Bharat Naujawan Sabha, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Naujawan Sabha, Punjab Students Union, and Janwadi Naujawan Sabha took out a protest march that culminated at Dhingra’s ancestral house. Later, they gathered at the Hall Gate and burnt an effigy of the state government. They demanded that the martyr’s ancestral home be given the status of “national heritage” and a memorial be raised there. They also decided to hold a meeting to chalk out their future strategy in this regard in Jalandhar. They alleged that the government has taken this decision under the influence of land mafia. The protests erupted after the state government told the Punjab and Haryana High Court recently that it cannot build a memorial of the martyr at his ancestral house in Amritsar.
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Tension grips village after dispute over gurdwara land
Guruharsahai, October 23 While this section of villagers ostensibly wanted to close the gurdwara as they felt its sanctity was not being maintained and it was not being kept in tune with traditions, another group was opposed to the move. Today, several Sikh leaders including Baba Baljit Singh Daduwal and Bhai Dhian Singh Mand among others, alongwith hundreds of supporters, gathered in the village, following which, the situation become tense.
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Nasrali is Mandi Gobindgarh MC president
Mandi Gobindgarh, Oct 23 Nasrali said he would initiate steps for smooth development of the town without any bias. He said he would fulfil the aspirations of the councillors who have elected him to the post without any political considerations.
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Daughter raped by old-time friend
Bathinda, October 23 Jaswinder doesn’t know whom to trust now. He also doesn’t know how he will mend his daughter’s life. He is now afraid for his two other daughters, aged eight and six who have stopped attending school.The terrorised girls do not dare to venture out of their home. “They threatened to do the same to my other daughters. We managed to call an ambulance and requested the driver to come after dusk and as quietly as possible,” said Jaswinder. It was on the intervention of Education Minister Sikander Singh Maluka that the accused were later booked and arrested by the police. “It is cow slaughter,” said Jasbir Kaur, the victim's mother. “I want the accused hanged. They have destroyed my daughter's life. They abducted her (on the night of October 14) while she was asleep." Sandeep Bhatti, Station House Officer (SHO), said the police did not lose any time to arrest the accused once a complaint was registered. He said Mithu Singh, Gurjeet Singh, (both aged 45) Harbans Singh alias Kala, Mani Singh (50) Gurpreet Singh, Harbans Singh alias Raju (26) and Deep Singh (30) had been arrested.
Betrayal most foul
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Zira youth rapes cousin for months
Moga, October 23 After an inquiry, the police has registered a case under Section 376 of the IPC against the accused, Gurjant Singh, a resident of Kassuwala village of Zira sub-division in Ferozepur district. However, he was yet to be arrested, said Assistant Sub-Inspector Mangal Singh. Running a small computer training institute, Gurjant often used to visit her aunt's house where he allegedly developed physical relations with the victim. When the victim insisted on marriage, the accused refused to do so. The girl brought the matter to the notice of her parents who lodged a complaint.
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3 booked for locking education office staff
Fazilka, October 23 Among those booked are Ram Krishan Dhunkian, posted at Government Primary School in Salemshah village; Bhagwant Kumar Bhateja, president of Fazilka Government Teachers Union and posted at Government Primary School, Roherianwali village in Abohar and Parmjit Singh, posted at Government Primary School in Jhumianwali village. The complainants alleged that the accused had been forcing them to endorse the transfer order of a computer teacher, Parmjit Kaur, from Government Senior Secondary School in Malookpura village to Government Senior Secondary School for Girls in Fazilka. "We were not competent enough to accede to their demand as District Education Officer Sandeep Dhuria was on leave," the staff members said. Irked by the reply, the accused teachers raised slogans against the officials and allegedly held them captive, they alleged. However, no arrests had been made so far. The detained officials were released only after Fazilka Additional Deputy Commissioner Charandev Singh Maan and the local police intervened around 6:10 pm. Sources said the issue had been brought to the notice of local MLA and Cabinet Minister Surjit Kumar Jyani. Efforts were being made to settle the matter by working out a compromise between the two parties, they said.
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Muktsar, October 23
Amritsar, October 23
The city police's statement that the two policemen arrested for robbing diamonds worth Rs 35 lakh from an employee of a diamond trader were working in the office of the IG traffic (Punjab) snowballed into a controversy today.
The IG traffic SS Chauhan conducted a press conference and claimed it was all a conspiracy to defame him.
The Punjab Cabinet today approved the Punjab Municipal Outdoor Advertisement Policy: 2012. A spokesperson of the Chief Minister's office said the policy was primarily designed to ensure that outdoor advertisement did not pose a hazard to traffic.
The sites meant for outdoor advertisement would be auctioned in a transparent manner. In a bid to streamline the administration, the Cabinet also gave its nod to the creation of 68 posts in the Directorate of Governance Reforms
(DGR).
Patiala, October 23
Muktsar, October 23
