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Not thinking of successor, Maharaj will return: Dera
Fruit, vegetables may cost less in state
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Entertainment tax shows highest percentage growth
District-level dharnas from Feb 3, says Bajwa
Shift DGP Saini, Cong tells EC
SAD makes info on grants to Lambi villages public
State of Industry Ludhiana-I
Supplier under Mai Bhago got
Rs 1.68 cr bogus VAT refund
Chinese blades cut into region’s economy
Staff tussle: DC sends probe report to Chief Secretary
Sikh leaders divided on SIT probe
Can’t compare 1984 killings, Godhra riots: CM
Reward us for party loyalty, Marathwada Sikhs to Sonia
Minister’s diktat leaves forest officers fuming
Sikhs be given fair chance to serve in US military: Major Kalsi
Sikh Eco Day on March 14
US Sikh rights group to subpoena Rahul
Seeking prize money,
witness moves court
Kidnapped girl rescued, 1 held
Jalandhar police get terrorist Mintu’s custody in murder case
Two killed in accidents
5 Hoshiarpur travel agents booked
Infant found abandoned
Sub-Inspector suspended
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Not thinking of successor, Maharaj will return: Dera
Nurmahal, January 30 He said, “We do not have to worry about a successor as Ashutosh will soon come out of samadhi.” The properties of the dera are worth several hundred crore. Representatives of the Divya Jyoti Jagriti Sansthan maintained that dera head Ashutosh had taken “Samadhi”. However, the authorities were making preparations for a big event. Police personnel were deployed in large numbers at the dera. Jalandhar Deputy Commissioner Varun Roojam and Jaspreet Singh, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Jalandhar (Rural) were also seen. With hundreds of devotees pouring in from New Delhi, lighting arrangements and security check posts were being set up at a frantic pace. The SSP said, “We expect that a big event will be held at the dera. Therefore, we are making arrangements to enforce law and order.” Since yesterday evening, several senior politicians and senior administrative officials have been present on site. Today, the devotees, who have come for the Akhand Sadhna Shivar, had been let inside the dera hall, where mediapersonnel are not allowed. Dera sewadaars were also spotted. Dera chief spokesperson Swami Vishalanand, while speaking to mediapersons, reiterated that Ashutosh had taken “samadhi”. He claimed that doctors at the dera claimed Ashutosh’s health was stable. Vishalanand further said they had not asked for the deployment of police.
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Fruit, vegetables may cost less in state
Chandigarh, January 30 Lower marketing cost would mean lower prices of the produce for the end user. This also means that the agri-companies can now directly source the produce from farmers. The move is expected to give a big push to agricultural reforms by making farm produce more accessible to big food retailers. The Punjab Government will take a hit of almost Rs 47 crore with this waiver. Figures available with The Tribune show that market fee collected from fruit and vegetables from April to mid-December 2013 was Rs 42.29 crore. It was Rs 31.32 crore in 2008-09; Rs 35.55 crore in 2009-10; Rs 40.49 crore in 2010-11; Rs 43.05 crore in 2011-12 and Rs 47.12 crore in 2012-13. Senior government officials told The Tribune that a decision in this regard was taken in 2012, but it could not be implemented. The Punjab Mandi Board had then decided to replace the market fee with user charges to compensate the loss. This decision was also endorsed by the government and passed by the Council of Ministers in its meeting early last year. The matter was pending with the government for a final notification. The officials said the government was of the view that it would not serve any purpose to waive the market fee and replace it with user charges. The government has again sent the matter to the Mandi Board, asking the latter to reconsider it without imposing any user charges. Boost to farmers *
Govt to withdraw market fee to enhance availability * The move will help provide competitive and effective marketing channels to growers to get remunerative prices
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Entertainment tax shows highest percentage growth
Bathinda, January 30 Information procured by The Tribune under the Right To Information Act suggests that entertainment tax rose by 52.1 per cent in 2012-13 as compared to the previous financial year. The revenue went up from Rs 32.64 crore in 2011-12 to Rs 49.66 crore in 2012-13. This tax is levied on various sources of entertainment, including private parties in clubs, movie tickets, commercial shows or festivals, cable and satellite (direct to home or DTH) television service and cricket matches. The mode of online payments, which leaves little margin for tax evasion, is also to be credited for the rise in revenue. The nine-year low of a mere Rs 1.80 crore was recorded in 2008-09, down from Rs 11.51 crore in 2000-01. The major chunk of the tax is collected from the DTH service. The cinema halls and multiplexes are the least contributors as these are exempted from the tax under the mega investment projects policy of the Punjab Government. Various cable operators pay a lump sum tax of Rs 16,000 per year to the government as entertainment tax. The information reveals that the least increase of 11 per cent in revenue was witnessed in Central Sales Tax, which went up from Rs 455.25 crore in 2011-12 to Rs 505.26 crore in 2012-13.
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District-level dharnas from Feb 3, says Bajwa
Chandigarh, January 30 Addressing party workers on the last day of the relay fast at Congress Bhawan here, Bajwa claimed the protest had received a tremendous response. Bajwa alleged that Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal and Bikram Singh Majithia were all shielding the drug mafia. “When the police can arrest 50-odd drug traffickers named by Bhola, why a different yardstick Majithia? if Majithia is innocent, he should not be scared of an independent probe,” the PCC chief said.
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Shift DGP Saini, Cong tells EC
Chandigarh, January 30 Khaira said Saini must be transferred to ensure a free and fair election in Punjab. In his complaint to the Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab, Khaira alleged that the DGP had been chargesheeted by a CBI Special Court in Delhi for kidnap, abduction and disappearance of three persons under Sections 342, 343, 364, 120-B IPC. The said charges were framed against him in November 2006 after the investigation was handed over to the CBI by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, he said. Khaira said Saini enjoyed a close proximity with the Badals. "Immediately after assuming power in 2012, the ruling dispensation handed over the top police post to Saini by ignoring seniority of five IPS officers." He alleged Saini was instrumental in victimising Capt Amarinder Singh and several other senior Congress leaders by registering false and frivolous criminal cases against them. The DGP also got cases of corruption against the Badals withdrawn by pressuring witnesses, Khaira alleged in his complaint. Raminder Singh, Chief Electoral Officer, confirmed that he had received Khaira's complaint against the DGP. H said he had forwarded the same to the Election Commission of India.
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AAP observers on state tour
Chandigarh, January 30 Sidhu, who belongs to Bathinda, has been working as an AAP activist since its inception. He said: “AAP is a different party. Its objective is to cleanse the political and administrative system without any ambition”. A team of party activists has been sent from Chandigarh to Punjab. The team visited Barnala, Bathinda and Fazilka to gather feedback. Sidhu said there were many senior functionaries, who had refused to contest the assembly elections and opted to work for strengthening the party in New Delhi. He said Punjab’s economy was in doldrums, women face hostile atmosphere and liquor and drugs dominate social activity. He said involving all communities in this struggle for change was prime motive of AAP. Sidhu got the feedback that there was a lot of enthusiasm among people in the state to join AAP, but there was a need for truthful and honest faces to lead the party. AAP has already enroled 50,000 members in Patiala, 40,000 in Sangrur and 31,000 in Jalandhar. “On January 26, we enroled 90,000 members in one day”, said Himanshu, a member of AAP’s IT team. AAP meet on poll strategy
AAP has convened a meeting of its district conveners from various states in New Delhi tomorrow to discuss its strategy with regard to the Lok Sabha elections
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SAD makes info on grants to Lambi villages public
Lambi, January 30 The boards have been installed at the entrance of villages. Besides containing basic information about the village like its name, total population, sarpanch’s name etc, these boards detail development works and funds sanctioned. The boards have four columns each mentioning name of the development work, year, executing agency and amount sanctioned. The boards are painted in SAD’s trademark blue and yellow colours. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal said: “We have fulfilled our promise of installing boards to publicise information on grants sanctioned. The purpose is to ensure transparency, make sarpanches accountable and give information to villagers about the development works.” Some sarpanches are not willing to install these boards, handed over to them a fortnight ago. At Dhaula village in Lambi, the board has not been installed. Harmel Singh, BDPO Lambi, said: “Boards have been installed in a number of villages while the remaining will be covered soon.” The state government has decided to put up these boards in all villages across the state, starting from
Muktsar.
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State of Industry Ludhiana-I
Ludhiana, January 30 The local industry, which is valued around Rs 6,000 crore, has been hit hard by rising imports of relatively cheap parts from China. Not only small units but even bigger players have been reportedly importing parts from China and getting them assembled here. The Dhandari dry port in Ludhiana receives at least 100 containers of Chinese cycle parts in a month. The local industry’s overall exports have fallen from Rs 950 crore to Rs 500 crore over the past two years. The imports, on the other hand, have shot up from a mere Rs 100 crore to Rs 1,000 crore during the concurrent period. Though the industry has been appreciating the Punjab Government’s initiative to promote investment for supporting Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, it has been demanding support (from the government) so as to compete with low-cost Chinese products. The main demands are assistance for upgrading the existing industry and infrastructure and cut in taxes. Sources say VAT refunds amounting to Rs 2,000 crore have been lying pending with the Excise and Taxation Department. The outstanding dues have been affecting the financial interests of the industry. Some units have refunds pending for the last three years. This is despite the fact that the Excise Act makes it mandatory for the department to release 75 per cent of the VAT refund within 60 days. But, the norm is hardly followed, allege industrialists. “When we don’t default on payment of taxes, why can’t the department ensure its timely refund? The department should pay us some extra amount if the VAT refund is delayed. In several cases, the amount is pending for the last three years,” said Gurmeet Singh Kular, Bicycle Research and Development Organisation general secretary. Excise and Taxation Commissioner Anurag Verma claims the department has started an online system for VAT refunds. “Now that everything will be online, the problem of late refunds will not be faced by the traders,” he says. Shifting base to Bihar
Several major cycle manufacturers of Ludhiana have been approached by the Bihar Government for establishing plants and ancillary units in Hazipur and Muzaffarpur. Labour shortage is another major problem. To tackle the issue, the industry is forced to import multi-tasking machines from China, but that increases the cost of bicycles. Manoj Singla, a local small-scale cycle manufacturer, says the government should launch a scheme on the lines of MGNREGA to save the industry. The labour, mostly comprising migrants from Bihar, has stopped returning to Ludhiana due to better job avenues back home. A manufacturer, Kirpal Singh, says: “Land and labour come cheap in Bihar. The (Punjab) government appears least bothered. As such, the industry is shifting base to Bihar.” (To be continued) Over the last 2 years, imports have shot up from
Rs 100 cr to Rs 1,000 cr Exports, on the other hand, have dipped from
Rs 950 cr to Rs 500 cr * The Ludhiana dry port gets 100 containers of cycle parts from China a month Key problems *
Import of relatively cheap cycle parts from China * Delay in VAT refund of industrialists *
Shortage of manpower (mostly from Bihar); with new plans like MGNREGA, the migrants prefer working back home Main demands *
Lowering the taxes so that the industry can compete with China * Support from the government for upgrading the existing infrastructure *
A state scheme like MGNREGA that can attract workers
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Supplier under Mai Bhago got
Rs 1.68 cr bogus VAT refund
Bathinda, January 30 The department detected the alleged wrongdoing following a scrutiny of the documents showing exports by these companies to Nepal during the 2012-13 fiscal. These firms sought refunds on the basis of paper transactions even as no goods were produced physically. Bicycles, under the scheme, are distributed to girl students in government schools across Punjab. The bicycle firm, SK Bikes, is one of the three companies that supplies bicycles to the government. Another order of 17,000 to 18,000 bicycles (amounting to Rs 49 crore) is in the pipeline for these three companies. Additional Excise and Taxation Commissioner (Ludhiana-1) Darbara Singh confirmed that SK Bikes had allegedly got bogus VAT refund of Rs 1.68 crore. “We have sought details about the goods exported by it to Nepal as these have not been entered at tax barriers. These firms have produced Customs documents from Nepal to prove that they sold goods there. They have been told to reply by February 2," he said. Special Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Gurkirat Kirpal Singh confirmed that SK Bikes was one of the cycle suppliers to the government. He said the three suppliers were recently paid Rs 40 crore by the government. So far, no communiqué had been received by the Excise and Taxation Department to stop payments to recover the dues from the erring firms, he said. Excise and Taxation Commissioner Anurag Verma said: “These firms are yet to provide documents that can corroborate the claims of their actual transaction." Verma said: “I am not aware whether one of these firms is a registered government supplier. We will explore all possibilities, including stopping its payment, to recover VAT.”
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Chinese blades cut into region’s economy
Chandigarh, January 30 Available information suggests the demand for just the blades in Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Himachal Pradesh is 50 crore (pieces), the price is Rs 42.5 crore and the approximate tax loss is Rs 6.16 crore. The issues hovering around the legitimacy of such imports, uneven playing field for the indigenous firms and loss to the exchequer due to tax evasion have now been raised by a Nalagarh-based firm, Concept Industries. It has alleged that manufacturers, importers and dealers are “illegally distributing and selling” blades, cutting and kitchen knives, pencil sharpeners and even paper clips made in China, Taiwan, Japan and Korea. The goods are being offered to the buyers without mentioning the maximum retail price, the importer or manufacturer’s address and the month and year of import. Even cash memos are not being issued. Request for a cash memo is almost always turned down with the standard assertion that “these are Chinese goods, bill cannot be issued”. All this, the company alleged, was in blatant violation of the Legal Metrology Act, 2009, and the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules 2011. The violators were under the provisions of law liable to be punished not just with fine, but even imprisonment extending up to three years.
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Staff tussle: DC sends probe report to Chief Secretary
Fatehgarh Sahib, January 30 The Deputy Commissioner, Arun Sekhri, who conducted the inquiry, refused to say anything. But sources in the district administration said buyers and sellers of a piece of land in Mandi Gobindgarh were summoned by him today to check the veracity of allegations levelled by Naib Tehsildar Nirmal Singh Sandhu against the ADC. The purchasers reportedly termed the charges of under-valuation and stamp duty evasion hurled by the ADC against the revenue staff as baseless. They said the land in question was gair mumkin. It was not sold as agriculture land as claimed by the ADC. They claimed the land was purchased as per the commercial rate then. The land registry was done in 2010 at the prevailing collector rate of Rs 43 lakh per acre whereas the rate for agricultural land was Rs 16 lakh per acre. They said they had paid Rs 2.80 crore and paid a stamp duty of Rs 22.4 lakh at the rate of Rs 43 lakh per acre. But owing to a clerical/ computer error, the land was mentioned as “agriculture”. They said the issue was settled by the Indian Audit and Accounts Department vide letter (No. SRA/0030/TDP) dated June 15, 2011. The Joint Sub-Registrar, Mandi Gobindgarh had informed the ADC that the audit objection had been removed. However, the ADC decided to re-investigate the case. Sekhri, when contacted, said he had submitting a “factual report” to the Chief Secretary. Meanwhile, a leading advocate of Fatehgarh Sahib today filed an application under the RTI Act with the DC’s office for information on all cases where stamp duty recovery had been waived under Section 47-A of Indian Stamp Act.
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Sikh leaders divided on SIT probe
Amritsar, January 30 Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has said there is no need for an SIT as several earlier probe panels have already pointed to the role of Congress leaders in the massacre of Sikhs.
Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal has hailed the move, but with a rider. He says the AAP Government in Delhi should refuse the support given to it by the Congress. But Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) president Manjeet Singh GK, a SAD leader, says the SIT is essential to re-investigate the 1984 riot cases. He wants the Supreme Court to monitor the SIT functioning. He says he will shortly meet the Chief Justice of India to demand that the riot cases in courts be put on the fast track. The SGPC has been mum on the matter. “We only want that the victims be given justice and the guilty punished. It is for the Delhi Government to see how it can do so,” says Avtar Singh Makkar, SGPC president. Dal Khalsa leader Kanwar Pal Singh points out that inquiry commissions in the past have been unable to uncover the truth and prosecute those behind the riots. But Phoolka, who has been fighting cases of the riot victims, is optimistic that the SIT will yield results. He cites the instance of witnesses who deposed before a court 27 years after the riots and withstood strenuous cross-examination. Five of the accused were convicted, three were awarded life imprisonment and two were given a three-year sentence each, he says. “It is the system that has caused the delay,” he argues. New Delhi: Akali activists led by SAD’s Delhi unit president Manjit Singh GK, today protested outside the Congress office here. They demanded that Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi should name the Congress leaders involved in 1984 anti-Sikh riots. They said the Chief Justice of India must direct the lower courts to expedite riot cases and the special investigating team (SIT), announced by the DElhi Government, must reopen old cases. The protesters demanded that the Congress must name those behind the riots so that they were punished as per the law.
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Can’t compare 1984 killings, Godhra riots: CM
Malout (Muktsar), January 30 "Whereas Godhra saw spontaneous riots, the Sikhs were butchered in 1984 at the behest of then Congress Government at the Centre," said Badal, while interacting with mediapersons on the sidelines of a Sangat Darshan programme here today. "What happened in 1984 was a planned execution of Sikhs," he said. "Mobs led by Congress leaders killed innocent Sikhs in public and the Union Government remained a mute spectator," he said. Expressing concern at the killing of Punjabi younths in foreign countries, he said the Centre must take steps to safeguard the life and property of Punjabis abroad. Badal struck an emotional chord with local residents, saying his wife had special affection for the city. He said the problem of choked sewers would soon be solved. The town's subdivisional hospital would be equipped with the state-of-the-art facilities. Hussan Lal, Managing Director, Punjab Health System Corporation, DK Tiwari, Chief Executive Officer, Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board, Gurkirat Kirpal Singh, Special Principal Secretary to CM, and local MLA Harpreet Singh accompanied the Chief Minister.
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Reward us for party loyalty, Marathwada Sikhs to Sonia
New Delhi, January 30 Sikh leaders from Nanded have now petitioned Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi for representation in either Parliament or the Maharashtra legislature. Speaking to The Tribune, Shamsher Singh Sodhi, said the Marathwada region had more than 13 lakh Sikh voters. “The Shiromani Akali Dal tried to entice the Sikh voters but we did not allow them even a permanent office in our area. For close to 40 years now, my family has voted for the Congress. It is sad that we have not received any representation as a minority,” he said. “Six decades after Independence, there has been no representation of the Marathwada Sikh community in the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, Vidhan Sabha and any central board,” he said. Sodhi claimed that in 1990, then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had promised to recommend the nomination of a representative of the community for the Maharashtra Vidhan Parishad. The Sikh leaders have attached a letter by Rajiv Gandhi dated December 10, 1990, wherein he has promised representation to the Sikhs in the Maharshtra Legislative Council. Sodhi has also sent a photograph of Jawaharlal Nehru and Vijaylakshmi Pandit with his grandfather Master Gurdyal Singh, a freedom fighter.
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Minister’s diktat leaves forest officers fuming Patiala, January 30 Earlier, Divisional Forest Officers could book the rest houses after paying an amount ranging from Rs 100 to Rs 1,000. Sources said now most officials refused to book the rest houses as getting the minister’s permission was a difficult task. They said the move would cost the government dear. When contacted, Bhagat backtracked and said he merely wished to be informed when rest houses were being booked. “No one would suffer as such orders were never issued,” he said. However, The Tribune has a copy of the orders that were issued on December 23, 2013. A senior Forest Department official said the orders were an attempt to curtail the officers’ powers. “The minister won’t be able to find the time to clear bookings when he is so busy with various important issues,” he said. A Ludhiana resident said he would now have to book a hotel for his upcoming daughter’s wedding and it would prove costly.
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Sikhs be given fair chance to serve in US military: Major Kalsi
Washington, January 30 “Sikhs are not asking for a blank check, but we believe the instruction can be significantly improved in ways that respect both military necessity and religious liberty. My Sikh articles of faith did not prevent me from excelling as an American soldier,” Maj Kamaljeet Singh Kalsi said in a testimony submitted before a Congressional committee. The House Armed Services Subcommittee on Military Personnel yesterday held a hearing on ‘Religious Accommodations in the Armed Services’ in the aftermath of the recent decision of the Pentagon that allows Sikhs or other religious communities to let them serve in the US military even with keeping their religious symbols intact like beard and turban. "I hope that the instruction is fine-tuned and implemented in ways that give Sikh Americans a fair chance to serve in the US military," Kalsi said. "If a Sikh American soldier can graduate from boot camp; comply with requirements relating to helmets and protective masks; and promote unit cohesion by performing military duties with excellence, we should not force that American soldier to choose between religious liberty and a military career,” he said. On January 22, the US Department of Defence issued revisions to religious accommodations. “Although the revisions are a step in the right direction for recognising the importance of religious liberty to our nation's soldiers, the Instruction still retains a presumptive ban on Sikh articles of faith in the US military and may therefore have a chilling effect on religious liberty for aspiring Sikh American Soldiers,” Kalsi said. In 2009, he said, the US Army made history by granting him an accommodation to maintain his religiously-mandated turban, unshorn hair, and beard while serving as a proud American soldier. Later on two other Sikhs were given exemptions Captain Tejdeep Singh Rattan and Corporal Simran Preet Singh Lamba. While the amended instruction indicates a new openness to accommodating religious articles of faith, it nevertheless fails to provide adequate accommodations to Sikh Service members and will continue to deter new Sikh recruits, Sikh Coalition said in its written testimony. —PTI
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Sikh Eco Day on March 14
Chandigarh, January
30 The day also marks the coronation of the 7th Sikh Guru, Har
Rai, who was known for his sensitivity towards nature and its preservation. Dr Rajwant Singh, President of
EcoSikh, who addressed a press conference here through video conferencing from Washington, said prominent sikh personalities, preachers and industrialists have come together to announce major initiatives on environment and to endorse the upcoming celebrations on 'Sikh Environment Day'.
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US Sikh rights group to subpoena Rahul
New York, January 30 The group said it would subpoena Gandhi “as a witness before New York federal court in the pending 1984 Sikh rights violation lawsuit”. Ravi Batra said any requests for subpoena issued on Gandhi would be responded to with a motion to dismiss.—PTI
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Seeking prize money,
witness moves court
Chandigarh, January 30 Currently deployed with the UT police, Balwinder Singh and painter Surinder Sharma were instrumental in the arrest of the assassins, one of whom is facing the gallows. "They had painted a grey ambassador car "franko white". It was, subsequently, used by the assassins in the commissioning of the crime. An award of Rs 10 lakh was announced for anyone providing a clue. Surinder Sharma too had earlier moved the court for the prize money. The petitioner has all along been claiming that he was working as mechanic in Sector 7 and it was on his information the assailants were nabbed and finally convicted. Following the earlier directions passed in 2004, he was given adequate security cover. In a related development, the Punjab Government today sought time from the court to clarify its stand in the case of co-conspirator Gurmeet Singh. The case will now come up on February 18. A convict in the assassination case, he was seeking his release after "completion" of life term. Sikh activist Gurbaksh Singh Khalsa had sat on a fast-unto-death in November-December 2013, demanding the release of six jail inmates who had completed their normal jail sentence, including Gurmeet Singh.
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Kidnapped girl rescued, 1 held
Jagraon, January 30 The youth was awarded a two-day police remand at a court and the girl was handed over to her family members. Sources said the police nabbed the accused youth with the girl on Ludhiana-Ferozepur highway near Mullanpur Dakha early morning. The girl was medically examined at the local Civil Hospital before being produced in the court. The family members of the girl, who protested against the police yesterday, thanked the police for saving their daughter. Jagraon Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ashish Chaudhry said the police recovered the abducted girl within 24 hours of the incident. He said police teams were conducting raids to nab the other six accused. The police had booked 7 persons for allegedly kidnapping the girl last night after several local residents protested against the alleged police inaction. The 20-year-old girl belongs to a renowned cloth merchant’s family.
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Jalandhar police get terrorist Mintu’s custody in murder case
Jalandhar, January 30 Mintu had also murdered former SAD MLA Sarabjit Makkar’s brother Surinder Singh Makkar about 25 years ago. Rajinder Kumar, SHO Model Town, said Mintu’s name cropped during the investigation of the murder case. On March 31, 2011, an unidentified assailant had brutally stabbed to death a seven-year-old boy Sonu and grievously hurt his two-year-old sister Nisha in the posh Cool Road locality.
Mintu had dodged the police for over 25 years after murdering Akali leader
Surinder. He was nabbed in a drug haul case in Batala in November. The Akali leader, Surinder
Makkar, was gunned down at his house in Guru Gobind Singh Nagar on January 22, 1987. The 50-year-old Babbar Khalsa outfit activist, who is involved in 11 criminal cases, had also reportedly murdered Kanpur Congress MLA Walyati Ram
Katyal. The criminal *
Mintu had dodged the police for over 25 years after murdering Akali leader
Surinder. * He was nabbed in a drug haul case in Batala in November.
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Two killed in accidents
Tarn Taran, January 30 In the first incident, an SUV collided with a truck Gandiwind village in the district, killing a person and injuring five others. Ajit Singh (52) of Kherdinke village died on the spot. His wife Balwinder Kaur, daughters Rajbir Kaur and Kulbir Kaur, besides Sarwan Singh and his wife Neetu were injured seriously. In the second accident, Arjinder Singh (22) of Jandoke village, 8 km from here, was crushed to death near his native village. The deceased’s father, Amar Singh, told police that his son was employed with Angrej. After the day’s work, they were returning home on a tractor with Angrej at the wheel. He was driving rashly as he was drunk, as a result of which Arjinder fell down and was crushed under the tractor, Amar said.
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12 schoolchildren injured in mishap
Fazilka, January 30 The van ferrying 26 students of Sant Kabir Gurukul in Jalalabad was returning to the school when it collided with the van loaded with vegetables. The injured students are aged between 12 and 15 years. Most of the students were discharged after first-aid as. One of the injured, Akashdeep (13) of Ghubaya village, was injured seriously and was taken to Civil Hospital, Muktsar. On January 7, 11 schoolchildren, including seven girls, were injured in a road mishap.
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5 Hoshiarpur travel agents booked
Hoshiarpur, January 30 In the first case, Sukhwinder Singh of Chakk Bamu village complained to the police that travel agents Harjit Kumar, his wife Bimla Devi and Amandeep Singh took Rs 16 lakh from him to send Sukhwinder Singh of Pinjore (Haryana) and Harpreet Singh of Nadala in Kapurthala district to Canada. The travel agents neither sent them abroad nor returned the money. They have been booked under Sections 420 (cheating) and 406 (criminal breach of trust) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The accused were booked after Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Narinder Bhargav directed the Economic Offences Wing to inquire into the matter. In another case, the police have booked travel agents Kulwant Ram and his father Makkhan Lal of Harta village in the district on the charge of duping Rakesh Kumar of Islamabad area in the city. The accused had promised Kumar to send him to Cyprus and took Rs 4.85 lakh from him, but they handed him a forged visa. The travel agents have been booked under Sections 420, 406, 465 (forgery), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating) and 471 (using as genuine a forged document or electronic record) of the IPC. — OC
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Infant found abandoned
Fazilka, January 30 The train reached the city at 2.30 am. When the train was about to depart for the return journey to Delhi at 3 am, passengers found a baby girl wrapped in cotton lying beneath a seat. They informed the railway guard and police officials. Railway police officials Hansraj Singh and Bishram, and Station Master Mukesh Meena admitted her to a private childcare clinic. Doctors said the infant was hail and hearty. Police officials offered social activist Dalip Sarsar to adopt the girl as he has provided shelter to two orphan children .
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Sub-Inspector suspended Hoshiarpur, January 30 Bhargav said the SI had been suspended for not producing a challan in court in a case registered under Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). He said the complainant in the case had alleged that the SI had not produced the challan for more than two months. “When questioned, Sarabjit Singh denied the allegation. I called for the case file and found that he had lied to me. The challan was ready to be produced before the court since November 28 last year,” Bhargav added.
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spokesperson Swami Vishalanand categorically said the dera followers in the governing body and the core committee are “Sewadaars” of dera head Ashutosh Maharaj.
Punjab is all set to waive market fee (charged at 2 per cent) on fruit and vegetables. The move will help provide competitive and effective marketing channels to growers to get remunerative prices and ensure a steady availability of the produce in the market.
Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Partap Singh Bajwa today said the party had decided to step up its agitation to press for a CBI probe into the drug racket and start district-level dharnas from February 3. The first such dharna would be held in Ropar and the last one at Barnala on February 28.
Once an undisputed leader in the manufacture of bicycles and cycle parts in Asia, Ludhiana is fast losing the race to China.
The local industry, which is valued around Rs 6,000 crore, has been hit hard by rising imports of relatively cheap parts from China. Not only small units but even bigger players have been reportedly importing parts from China and getting them assembled here.
Sikh leaders are divided over the Kejriwal-led Delhi Government’s decision to set up a special investigating team (SIT) to probe the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Some maintain it will serve no purpose. But others like senior Supreme Court lawyer HS Phoolka argue that it will help deliver justice to the victims.
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said it was wrong to draw any parallel between the killing of Sikhs in 1984 and Gujarat's Godhra riots.
