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Flesh trade racket busted, six held Ludhiana, December 26 Four members of the gang, including a couple and a mother-daughter team, were arrested red-handed along with two customers at House No -2127, Sector-32A, Industrial Area, here by a raiding party formed under the leadership of DSP Gurjit Singh, Notified Gazetted Officer for conducting such raids. The accused were the alleged main suppliers Parveen Kumar Chopra and his wife Ritu. Both were residents of the house from where the arrests were made and were allegedly the brain behind the entire racket. During the raid, police caught two women, middle-aged Balwinder Kaur of Kidwai Nagar here and her 18-year-old daughter Amandeep Kaur. Two persons, Avtar Singh of Jagirpur village and Balraj Singh of Gehelwala village, were caught with the two women. Both were rich landlords said the police sources. All six persons have been booked under Sections 3,4,5 and 6 the Immoral Trafficking Act, 1956. A car (PB-10-AT- 0008) that was used to transport the girls has also been recovered. The FIR stated that DSP Gurjit Singh was on night domination duty near Samrala Chowk when he got information about the presence of the accused persons in the house. He raided the place along with Inspector Gurpreet Singh, SI Bittan Kumar and ASI Harbans Singh. The team arranged a decoy customer who went inside the house. The decoy customer paid Rs 500 to the kingpin which was later recovered by the raiding police party. DSP Gurjit Singh informed that the gang used both girls and middle-aged women as per the demand. They charged Rs 1,000 onwards for each girl. Though the kingpin's house was the main place used for such activities, the gang members frequently supplied girls to the customers houses, offices and even hotels. Police sources said the busting of the racket has brought forth the activities of the gang, whose regular customers included politicians, landlords, industrialists and their young children. Just after the raid, the police was subjected to immense pressure from the politicians and other influential persons having some link with the gang. The police was hoping to get the names of several of these customers through a mobile phone recovered from the couple. The police has found several numbers and were taking a list of calls from the phone company to get details about the persons linked to or customers of the girls. |
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2 held for passport fraud Khanna, December 26 According to information Gurminder Singh, son of Jagjit Singh, a resident of Jatana Neevan village had gone to Cyprus for study by using his original passport in July 2001. During his stay in Cyprus he started working to meet his expenses. He was arrested while doing a job by Cyprus police and was deported to India. But Gurminder wanted to go Cyprus again for completing his studies. He met Bahadar Singh, son of Sarup Singh of Muskabad, who gave him the certificate, ration card and electricity bill of his cousin. Dalbir Singh to get new passport by using these documents. Gurminder succeed in getting a new passport by pasting his own photograph on the documents of Dalbir Singh. Bahadar Singh and Gurminder Singh were arrested under Sections 420, 467, 468, 471 and 120-B, IPC and were sent to judicial custody. |
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Flashback ’03 Ludhiana, December 26 The MC created a history of sorts with the completion of an ambitious project of providing 100 per cent supply of potable water in declared areas of the city in March, 2003. The MC added another feather in its cap when the Planning Commission of India placed on record the excellent work down in various fields and described the local MC as a role model for others to emulate. The year was observed by the MC as 'development year' with a score of projects being taken up towards development of infrastructure and beautification of the city. As the major projects like elevated road, flyover to replace Lakkar Pul and Dhandari overbridge continued to drag for varied reasons, the Dhuri line flyover was completed and opened to public. The civic body launched a massive plantation drive, finalised beautification projects for all major entry points to the city, the parks were once again entrusted to private contractors for maintenance and intensive road repair works were undertaken. The MC, during the earlier part of the year, made a remarkable turn around to become a cash surplus body with reserves of over Rs 21 crore for the first time in its history. Almost during the three quarters of the year, the ruling party in the MC, led by city Mayor Nahar Singh Gill and combined Opposition, comprising the SAD and BJP councillors, were engaged in a war of wits over erratic meetings of the General House and providing the councillors a forum to give vent to their feelings. In a battle of oneupmanship and to put his adversaries at their proper place, the Mayor cancelled one of the House meetings at the eleventh hour and adjourned another meeting without conducting any business. However, in a complete volte face, the opposition councillors rallied round the Mayor and the MC Commissioner at the General House meeting held earlier this month and the positive attitude was yet again displayed by SAD and BJP councillors during a felicitation function of the city
Mayor to celebrate grant of more powers to the elected heads of the MCs by the state
government. Contrary to its repeated assurances to the people of providing relief, the state government enhanced the water and sewerage charges for the urban population and thereby providing the opposition parties a stick to beat it with. The SAD and BJP councillors continued a dharna for several days without achieving anything but sympathy of the affected city residents. The much publicised entry tax to replace octroi and one time settlement scheme for building violations, though approved by the government at the highest level, did not see the light of the day. Encroachments, violations of building bylaws and traffic management in the city continued to be sore areas where the performance of the civic body remained unenviable. With rampant temporary and permanent encroachments on roads and public street, coupled with vehicular traffic bursting at seams, the city roads were becoming more and more difficult to traverse. Lack of adequate infrastructural support by the MC and slack enforcement of regulations by the traffic police made the matters worse. Powerful lobby of builders and influential property developers were having a field day by violating building norms with impunity as the employees an officials of building branch of the MC appeared to be more concerned about their ‘personal fortunes’ rather than enforcing by laws. Several commercial complexes, hotels and other buildings in the city were under the scanner of the internal vigilance of the local government or the Vigilance Bureau of the police without any worthwhile outcome so far. |
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Congress dissidents
mellow down Ludhiana, December 26 The sources said, there were differences within the dissident camp over the leadership. Supporters of Mr Tej Prakash Singh, who is said to be the probable candidate for the Chief Ministership in the event of leadership change, are learnt to be reluctant to yield for anything less than Chief Ministership. It is learnt that the Beant Singh group represented by Mr Tej Prakash, his sister and MLA from Jalandhar Cant Gurkanwal Kaur and the MLA from Dakha, Mr Milkiat Singh Dakha are not too keen to support Mr Rajinder Kaur Bhattal as Chief Minister. It is learnt that the group feels in case it fails to get Chief Minister’s post for its leaders, it will hardly make any difference to them. Moreover, the group is learnt to be reconciled to the proposition that it may get some more representation in the possible reshuffle. It is learnt that the dissident group is finding it difficult to present a united front. As the time passes by, the legislators also feel stuck. One of the legislators pointed out, “everything is stuck up...we are not able to get any work done”. He maintained that there was pressure from the workers also. While earlier there were said to be seven dissidents. It is learnt that at least three of them have started showing positive response to the goodwill gestures of the official camp. It is only one senior minister who is said to have stuck to his ground. The minister maintained that the issues which were to be addressed are still there. At the same time he admitted that there was some uneasiness among the members over the delay. An MLA belonging to the official camp claimed that a number of members who were counted among the dissidents were ready to return and were waiting for an opportunity to do so. Most of them will side with the leader whom they find to be enjoying the support of the party high command, he observed. |
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Admn forgets Udham Singh’s birthday Ludhiana, December 26 The function was organised at GGN Khalsa College in collaboration with the Kamboj Welfare Society. Addressing those present at the occasion, Dr Jaswant Singh Chamak, secretary-general of the trust, said the martyr had dreamt of a strong India which was capable of providing food and shelter to every citizen of the country. Paying tributes to the martyr, Dr Chamak highlighted the heroic deeds of Shaheed Udham Singh. He said Udham Singh was a man with total conviction, who had taken a vow to avenge the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. He had chased Sir Michael O’Dwyer, the then Lt. Governor of Punjab, for 21 years and shot him dead in Caxton Hall, London. Dr Chamak said around 13 files carrying 3,000 documents regarding the life of the martyr were lying at London which were banned for public release by a British court in 1940 after his execution. Some excerpts were, however, released by Mr Tony Blair, which were published in the form of a book by Prof Sikander Singh Azad. He urged upon the government to get the other documents released so that more can be published about the life of the martyr. The Udham Singh Memorial Trust demanded that a piece of 10,000 sq yards land should be allotted to the trust for raising a befitting memorial so that the coming generations remember his contribution in the freedom struggle. The members said the former Akali government in the state had made available a piece of land to the Namdhari Trust for erecting a memorial of Namdhari martyrs. They said it was allotted at the rate of Re 1 per sq yards. They also demanded the setting up Shaheed Udham Singh Chair at one of the universities of the state. Stirring an old controversy once again, the trustees claimed that a piece of 1,500 sq feet of land in Udham Singh Nagar, which was presently in possession of a club, was originally earmarked for constructing a memorial for the Shaheed-e-Azam. While the officials of the club have been vehemently denying their claim, the trustees continue with their claims. According to Dr Chamak, the plot was reserved for this noble purpose but it is not known when and who changed the utilisation plan. A bust of the martyr was also installed in the place that was allegedly destroyed and the land was illegally occupied. The officials of the club stated that the trust had no documents to vindicate its stand. Showing a copy of the revenue records, the club officials said the land belonged to them and it was in their possession from the day one. Moreover, they claimed that they had paid the money to the local Improvement Trust and had bought the land. But Dr Chamak said the president of the Ex-serviceman League of Punjab, Colonel Chanan Singh Dhillon (retd) who is also a resident of the same area had been protesting against the illegal occupation of the land but no action has been taken yet by the authorities concerned. He also stated that they had written a letter to the Chief Minister, Captain Amarinder Singh, who had marked an inquiry to the Local Bodies Department. Sources in the Improvement Trust, however, said in revenue records, the land was given to the club in 1970 and since then it has been its sole occupant. |
Last date for sehaj path
contest entries extended Ludhiana, December 26 This was decided at a special meeting of zonal secretaries held here yesterday under the chairmanship of Dr Charan Kamal Singh, Chief Secretary. Renuka Sarabjeet Singh, Deputy Chief Organiser, disclosed that till now over 3,000 students had started sehaj path. There was a strong demand from all quarters to extend the last date for entry. In this global level competition prizes worth Rs 5 lakh would be awarded to students who will complete the sehaj path before September 1, 2004. Students form Class III to post-graduate level belonging to any caste, religion, region, below the age of 25 years, can participate in this competition. All participants are required to write few quotations from Gurbani which immediately impress them, in a separate notebook. They are also required to inform every month about their progress on special phone hotline 98146-12004, 98148-02505.  |
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Pensioners resent govt apathy Ludhiana, December 26 The Union Government has, recently, allowed a minimum monthly pension of Rs 3,000 to all former MPs irrespective of the period of their membership. It means, as soon as an MP takes oath, he is entitled to pension. On the contrary, a government employee has to put in at least 10 years of service to earn a monthly pension of Rs 1,275. As many as one crore pensioners of Central Government as well as state governments across the country are upset with the Vajpayee regime for not accepting their long-pending demands on the pretext of dearth of funds. Demands of the pensioners, include, merger of 50 per cent DA with basic pay/pension for all purposes including pensionary benefits, DA for gratuity |
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Capt Vijayant
remembered Ludhiana, December 26 The Thapar community which has a sizeable population here organised a hawan to remember the martyr. The recently released movie LOC has a prominent character portraying the role and sacrifice of late Capt Vijayant
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SSP told to book land deal fraud suspect Ludhiana, December 26 The Deputy Commissioner has written to the SSP Ludhiana, to register a case against the suspects under Sections 420, 465, 467, 468 and 120-B, IPC. Giving details, Mr Anurag Verma, Deputy Commissioner, said a complaint was received from the Gram Panchayat and members of Gram Sudhar Sabha, Poheer, regarding the fraud committed by the accused persons. It was marked for inquiry to the SDM, Ludhiana (East) Mr Prem Chand. In the inquiry report, the SDM substantiated the charges. Mr Prem Chand reported that the total land measuring 374 kanals and 5 marlas was kept as joint property of the village Out of this land, some land had been shown as sold by Waryam Singh. But Waryam Singh had died on June 18, 1993 much before the execution of the sale deed, which took place on March 15, 1994. Mr Amarjit Singh, Lambardar Poheer village and Mr Gurmail Singh were two the witnesses of the deed. As per the inquiry report, another person Jit Singh had sold some land to Kamalpreet Singh vide a registered sale deed bearing Wasika Number 33383 (dated March 17, 1994) but Jit Singh had died on May 3, 1991 prior to the execution of the sale deed. Mr Gurcharan Singh, Lambardar Thakarwal village and Gurmail Singh were the two witnesses of the second sale deed. Mr Verma said legal opinion from Joint Director (Prosecution), Ludhiana had also been taken.He had opined that the purchaser and the witnesses of these sale deeds had got these executed in the names of dead persons and it was a clear case of forgery and suggested the registration of a case against the guilty persons. An official release of the Deputy Commissioner said the suspect Kamalpreet Singh was behind both the forgery cases and the police had been directed to book him under the relevant sections and arrest him. |
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Police clueless in migrant’s death case Ludhiana, December 26 According to the statement of his relative Beg Raj who regained consciousness today, they were not carrying more than a couple of hundred rupees. He and the deceased Sai Ram had gone to Muzaffarnagar on December 17 last where they had to pay some money to a person. It was on their return journey that an old man ‘befriended’ them and offered them tea after the train left Saharanpur. Soon after consuming the drug-laced tea, 60th Sai Ram and Beg Raj lost consciousness. Beg Raj said the old man was travelling alone. Mr. Gurdeep Singh, ASI, who is investigating the case, told Ludhiana Tribune today that he was hopeful of getting a clue to nab the culprit. Meanwhile, Satish Kumar, who works at a brickkiln in the Sarabha Nagar area, identified the body of Sai Ram to be that of his father. Viscera of the body has been sent to Patiala for a chemical examination. |
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Four booked on abduction charge Ludhiana, December 26 The complainant had stated that his son had gone to his shop on December 15, 2001, but did not return following which he informed the police on December 19 about his disappearance. But on December 14, 2002, he came to know that the car which was being driven by his son, had been recovered from the possession of the accused and impounded by the Moga police.
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Industry seeks cheaper credit for SSIs Ludhiana, December 26 According to Mr Joginder Kumar, a delegation of the federation had met Dr S.P. Gupta, member Planning Commission of India, Mr B.S. Minhas, secretary, Ministry of SSI, Mr N.S. Sisodia, secretary, Department of Banking and Mr Suresh Chandra, Additional Secretary and Development Commissioner of SSI in New Delhi and detailed memoranda were submitted to these officials to focus on the problems of the tiny and small sector of industry. Mr Joginder Kumar pointed out that as a discriminatory measure towards the tiny and SSI sector, which was covered under the priority sector lending, the Reserve Bank of India had not allowed sub-PLR credit to this sector whereas the corporate sector was being provided credit at sub-PLR. He stressed that the vibrant sector (tiny and SSI) of industry needed credit at cheaper rates to become competitive in the domestic and global markets. He made a strong case for treating the tiny and small scale sector of industry at par with the farm sector for the purpose of interest rates since both were vital components of the economy. In the present scenario when the banks were slashing interest rates to boost the housing schemes, the SSI sector, which made significant contribution to the industrial production and exports, also deserved to be given a preferential treatment. The FTSII also called upon the Punjab Small Industries and Export Corporation (PSIEC) to follow the interest rates of the banks and allow the payments of installments of industrial plots at a reduced rate of 9 per cent. Further, a rebate of 25 per cent of land cost should be given to the allottees, who had set up their units within a period of three years. Functionaries of the federation, during their meetings with government officials at New Delhi, had also decried the unprecedented hike in the prices of iron and steel, pig iron and nickel, which had virtually broken the back bone of the small units, added Mr Kumar. The Union Government was asked to initiate effective measures to discipline the major steel producers and to save the light engineering industry from impending crisis. |
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From Goa to promote culture Ludhiana, December 26 Mr Banny Bush, leader of this six-member band, while talking to Ludhiana Tribune here said they wanted everyone to come to Goa. They were here as part of Goa Tourism to say ‘Goa-365 days on a holiday’. While giving details of the band, Mr Banny said it presented a mixture of Goan songs layered with western instruments like guitar, base guitar, drums and keyboard. “We would present traditional Konkani songs as well as English and Hindi vocals also”, said Mr Banny. The other members of the band include Mr Sunil Gosavi playing Hindi keyboard, Ms Aarti Gosavi, the female singer, Mr John Fernandes on base guitar, Mr Banny Fernandes on lead guitar, Romaldo Fernandes on drums and Mehrnosh Tantra backing Konkani and Hindi vocals. “I am attached to music for the past 15 years. We have already performed at places like Jaipur, Delhi, Pune etc. As part of Goa Tourism, we would be moving to several other places to promote Goan culture”, said Mr Banny. A catholic, originally from Goa, Mr Banny has now settled in Mumbai. The ‘Trinity’ qualified musician, Banny used to play for his father’s recording. “This is our first visit to Ludhiana. I am sure Goa would definitely meet the expectations of people here. We have brought with us Mini Goa for Ludhaianvis”, said Mr Banny. According to Mr N.Suryanarayan, Director of Tourism, Government of Goa, “Tourism is not at all a new thing for the Goans. Hospitality, considered to be the backbone of the tourism industry, is deeply rooted in the blood of Goans. The Goans know languages like Konkani, Marathi, Hindi, English and foreign languages such as Portuguese, Spanish, German and Russia to name a few”, he said.
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