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Immigration racket kingpin had duped 24 youths Ludhiana, December 19 The racket has also already hogged headlines as the bodies of two persons, associated with the accused were found buried under agriculture fields in Paharuwal village near Sahnewal last week. The deceased persons identified as Chanan Singh and Hazara Singh were working with the accused and could have been murdered because of some inter-gang rivalry, latest police investigation has suggested. Dreaming of life in America — the land of opportunities — as many as 24 youths from different parts of the state invested lakhs of rupees with the agent, packed their bags, took blessings of their parents and left for Delhi. For weeks they were taken around the national Capital and then dumped. At the end, they were just reduced to be fresh additions in the long list of thousands of people duped by clever travel agents. Highly placed police sources revealed to Ludhiana Tribune that 12 of these youths have returned home yesterday only after seeing the Qutab Minar, the Red Fort and other places for more than a week. The gang headed by one Gurnam Singh, who was arrested a few days ago by the local police, had allegedly cheated them all. The youths were told by an accomplice that Gurnam had been caught by Ludhiana Police. Twelve other youths have also complained to the police through one Yakub Masih, a resident of Jalandhar district. The police investigated the complaints for registration of cases. The complaint letter of Yakub Masih alleges that he and his 11 relatives and acquaintances were duped by Gurnam Singh in 2001. He said that he was so convinced with the assurances of Gurnam Singh that he had roped in 11 more youths to go with him to USA. He said the arrest of Gurnam Singh had proved highly beneficial to him as the youths were accusing him of fraud. He said now they believe his claims that he was also taken for a ride. Confirming the case of the fresh victims, SSP Narinderpal Singh and SP(D) Gurpreet Singh Toor said the arrest of the key accused just acted as an excuse as the fate of the youths would have been the same anyway. They said when Gurnam Singh was asked about the youths he told them during interrogation that this was his main modus operandi and the youths were destined to return only. He has, however, continued to claim that some Delhi-based persons in turn duped him and he himself was a genuine travel agent. His arrest had taken the lid off of another major racket occurring in this part of the state. The interesting part was that this time the bait was of America while earlier the travel agents were mainly duping people on the pretext of sending them to Canada, England and Middle-East countries. Just about one-and-a-half months ago, the Jagraon police busted a statewide desi-Kabbootri gang which duped people on the pretext of sending them abroad. But no lessons seemed to have been learnt from the experience of the desi- kabootri racket as gullible youths continue to fell victims to the unending desire of going abroad in search of greener pastures.
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Bar poll today Ludhiana, December 19 Candidates have defaced the main entrance of the Mini-Secretariat without any fear of being booked under the Defacement of Properties Act. They have also violated the code of conduct prescribed by the Returning Officer. As per the code of conduct, pasting of posters in the judicial complex and defacing the property in any manner was banned. Every candidate was allowed to display only one banner. However, giving the code of conduct the go-by, posters were even pasted inside the judicial complex and a number of banners were displayed by candidates. The last day of canvassing proved to be a power show, in which the voter became the VVIP. There is a direct contest between Mr K.K.Bagai and Mr B.K.Goel for the presidentship of the DBA. The Organisation of Young
Lawyers(OYL), headed by Mr Harjasdeep Singh Rana, offered support to Mr Goel. FormerBar presidents, Mr K.R.Sikri and Mr Hemant Kalia, have appealed to lawyers to vote in favour of Mr Goel. The Young Lawyers Welfare Association president, Mr Gurkirpal Singh, and another Organisation of Young Lawyers, headed by Mr Garcha, is supporting Mr Bagai. The sitting Bar president, Mr Harish Rai Dhanda, has appealed to lawyers to support Mr
Bagai.
The voting shall take place from 9 am to 4.30 pm in the judicial complex. |
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Stadium project raises stink Ludhiana, December 19 This despite the fact that a sub committee of five MC officials, set up in pursuance of the F&CC resolution, had
strongly opposed the move, citing technical and legal reasons against the construction of an international level
indoor stadium at this particular site. The sub committee had recommended that the project be kept in abeyance and the whole process, including inviting
tenders, started afresh when another suitable alternative site was available for this purpose. Inquiries made by Ludhiana Tribune revealed that even during a preliminary survey of the site, measuring 2.33 acre, the Sport Authority of India had expressed its reservations against the choice of site on the basis of insufficient parking space, narrow approach and the site being surrounded by narrow lanes on three sides and residential area on one side. What, however, is beyond comprehension, is the urgency being shown to rush through the project and allot the work against such tender which had lapsed long ago and on the top of it, contained several such conditions that could compromise the quality of the so called prestigious project. It is learnt that tenders were invited for the project in October 1999 against an approved estimate of Rs 16 crore when Dr S.S. Sandhu, the then MC Commissioner also held the charge of Chairman of the Improvement Trust. The stadium was to be constructed on the land owned by the trust after the same was handed over to the MC. However, after his exit from the scene, the next Chairman of the LIT was not enthusiastic about the project and a resolution to drop the proposal was also adopted. Till now the LIT authorities had not accepted the proposed exchange of land against the site for the stadium on the ground that the land being offered by the MC did not have equal commercial value. After much deliberations, the site for the stadium was once again shifted back to the vacant piece of land on the Pakhowal Road by the MC. Sources in the MC claimed that while the comparative statement prepared on the basis of bids received for the project show that the offer made by a leading local builder was the lowest, it failed to take note of several conditions in the tender which could have a significant bearing on the total financial involvement and even quality of the structure. Although the officials concerned were reluctant to comment on the need to take up the project in a hurried manner, it was learnt that when the four year old tenders were sought to be revived, reportedly on a 'strong recommendation' from a very senior bureaucrat, the Chief Engineer of Local Government had advised against the process saying the tenders had lost their validity and in case the project was to be executed, fresh tenders should be called for. |
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A nostalgic journey down memory lane Ludhiana, December 19 Joga Singh disclosed that he could still recall the news headline of The Tribune “British Government’s Surrender to Jinnah” published before Partition. In fact it was on July 25, 1947. Joga Singh was a teenager at that time and has very sharp memory of the developments taking place at that time. He could also recall the August 15, 1947, banner headline “India wakes to life and freedom”. Talking to The Tribune he said: “For you it may be an ordinary or may be an important page of history...but for me it is literally going back in time and space...”. An articulate Joga Singh remarked, “It takes me back by miles and years...back to those tormenting days to the troubled land of Lahore when everything seemed uncertain...it is just a flashback”. Joga Singh was studying in Lahore at that time, where his father was working with a British businessman. Looking at the news clippings meant so much to him — his childhood, his school, his associations and especially the uncertainty and fear of those days. Joga Singh and his father migrated quite late to this part of the world, while their relatives had presumed them to be dead. It was not just Joga Singh alone who took a lot of interest in looking at The Tribune. There were so many like him, who could recall their days when they saw the news clippings. One of the news clippings dates back to January 28, 1930, when Indians declared “puran swaraj” and The Tribune reflected the nationalist sentiment through its banner headline “India observes Independence Day”. There were number of young people who could be seen watching the news clippings. Probably their attachment with The Tribune was reflected by the young Deputy Commissioner of Ludhiana, Mr Anurag Verma, who remarked, “We have grown up reading The Tribune”. |
Youth Akali Dal (R) chief gives unity call Mandi Gobindgarh, December 19 He was talking to mediapersons at a district conference at Muggal Majra village, 4 km from here, today. The conference was chaired by district unit chief Mahinder Singh. He accused SAD of misusing SGPC funds for personal political gains which otherwise should have been spent for religious purposes and education of Sikhs. He further said during the Jor Mela at Fatehgarh Sahib from December 24 SAD would hold a political conference in front of the main gurudwara. The place is meant for holding religious divans and langars. He urged the SGPC to change the site of the political conference. On the other hand the Akali Dal (Ravi) has taken 4 acres on lease for Rs 60,000 for organising a political conference on the mela. It would be addressed by Baba Sarbjot Singh Bedi, chairman, Akali Dal, Jathedar Jagdev Singh Talwandi and Mr Ravinder Singh, president Akali Dal, he asserted. The appointment of 4 block presidents Mr Arvinder Singh (Mandi Gobindgarh), Mr Dharminder Singh Khojemajra (Bassi Pathana), Mr Vijay Kumar (Sirhind, rural) and Mr Harsimran Singh (Sirhind, urban) was also announced on the occasion.  |
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Success is the buzzword for cops Ludhiana, December 19 The introduction of the Stranger Rolls scheme and the busting of the Bauria gang has proved quite effective as Ludhiana has generally remained free from major crime during the past one month. The success began with the busting of the Bauria gang whose 16 members have been arrested, and as per police claims, nearly 150 robberies having taken place in the Malwa region of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Himachal Pradesh have been solved. The busting of a kabootri racket run by a 70-year-old Australian and a local girl who frequented Australia and India, along with the arrest of Gurnam Singh in the sensational US immigration racket in which dozens of people have been duped, are other examples. The alleged master swindler, Vicky Dheer, who was the key person in the multi-crore financial fraud which shook the illegal parallel financial market in the city, was also arrested. Nearly 50,000 migrant labourers have so far filled the stranger rolls, which provide the police their addresses. The police has also verified their antecedents from the police of their respective states and this has helped immensely in keeping tabs on suspicious elements. The police early this week, arrested Nirdosh Dhand, known for his alleged anti-social activities. Besides, several small gangs have also been busted. There has been a crackdown on drug smugglers and those dealing in duplicate video CDs. A woman narcotic smuggler was also nabbed. A former industrialist, who had taken to opium smuggling, was also nabbed. |
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Security guard killed in accident Ludhiana, December 19 Bahadur Singh died at DMC hospital where he was taken by some passersby. The police said the accident occurred because of the dense fog. The deceased was on way to his house in Hassanpur village. The security guards and the DMC employees union have expressed grief at the death of the tragic death. Senior staff members, including doctors, visited the security guard’s village to attend his cremation. |
Something for everyone at CII fair Ludhiana, December 19 The North India Auto Show 2003 has a gleaming array of vehicles, including Maruti’s grand Vitara, Toyota Camry and Hyundai Sonata, besides an interesting array of three wheelers, and auto accessories. Vikram, manufacturers of three-wheeler road carriers, has displayed a three-wheeler which is described as “as good as a small car”. Homemakers can choose from attractively framed paintings, wrought iron objects, designer linen, lamps and lampshades, ethnic pottery, brass compasses, candles and much more. The furniture on display ranges from antique replicas to futuristic steel tables besides traditional hand painted tables and chairs. There are gadgets to make cooking easier and healthier. One of the interesting devices includes a three-in-one with an air purifier, a pest repellent and an electronic chimney. The SBI coin dispenser was a crowd pullers. So were the lively mega brands with the state-of-the-art TVs, dishwashers, handy cams and music systems. Personal healthcare products, user friendly insurance schemes and mobile phone services are also being showcased in the four day mega shopping. To add colour and melody to the event, a live band from Goa, “Taan Tricks,” is providing music. |
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