IEP Chandigarh February 22

          The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) during its anti-corruption campaign in the state on the directions of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, nabbed a Sub Inspector (SI) Jarnail Singh, Incharge police post, Mudki, Ferozepur district red handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 10,000.

          Disclosing this here today, a spokesperson of the VB said this corruption case has been registered against the above said police official on the complaint of Sewak Singh, resident of village Pakka, Faridkot district.

          Giving details he added that the complainant has approached the VB and alleged that the above said police official has demanded Rs 30,000 as a bribe to execute compromise between two parties to a police complaint in which his son was involved. The complainant further informed that the deal in this regard was struck at Rs 28,000 and the accused has taken Rs 8,000 on the spot to provide copy of compromise. While handing over the money the complainant has recoded the entire conversation on his phone as an evidence.

          The spokesperson informed that the VB has investigated the allegations levelled in the complaint and laid a trap in which the accused police official was arrested while taking a bribe of Rs 10,000 as a second instalment from the accused in the presence of two official witnesses.

          In this regard a case under prevention of corruption act has been registered against the SI Jarnail Singh at VB police station Ferozepur. Further investigation in this case was under progress.

IEP Chandigarh, February 21     

     Punjab NRI Affairs Minister Kuldeep Dhaliwal held an online meeting with all the DCs, Police Commissioners and SSPs of the state to review the complaints of NRIs and directed to resolve the pending complaints by March 15.          Mr. Dhaliwal said that the Punjab government under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has been taking effective steps to address the issues of NRI Punjabis and making constant efforts to resolve their grievances in a quick and meaningful manner. He added that 60 percent complaints have resolved which were received during ‘NRI Punjabian nal milani’ programme while the remaining complaints will also be redressed soon.          Mr. Dhaliwal said that most of the complaints were related to the revenue and police departments, while 20 percent complaints were already pending in various courts. Minister said that DCs and SSPs have also been asked to resolve complaints of NRI Punjabis on a priority basis. He said that the district level committees have been constituted under the leadership of all the Deputy Commissioners, which were bound to solve the problems of the migrants by coordinating with various departments.          On the occasion, Principal Secretary NRI Affairs J.M. Balamurugan, AIG NRI Affairs Balwinder Singh, Special Secretary NRI Kamaljit Kaur Brar, Deputy Secretary Surinder Kaur Brar, besides senior officers of various departments were present.

IEP Chandigarh, February 21

          Punjab Power Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO has assured the office bearers of POWERCOM and TRANSCO Coordination Struggle Committee that their all legitimate demands would be accepted soon.

          During the meeting, the office bearers of Powercom and Transco Coordination Sangharsh Committee Punjab apprised the power minister about their demands. Power Minister listened  their demands of the employees’ organizations very carefully.

           The meeting was attended by Gopal Sharma, Director Commercial, Management and HR Engineer, Punjab State Power Corporation Limited, besides senior officials of POWERCOM and TRANSCO and leaders of POWERCOM and TRANSCO Coordination Struggle Committee Outsource Punjab.

IEP Chandigarh, February 21

          Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker S. Kultar Singh Sandhwan, on Tuesday, said that a mock session of the assembly for the students will be held in near future in order to remove lack of interest towards politics among the youth.

          Meeting the students of Government High School village Dod, district Faridkot, who visited Punjab Vidhan Sabha, S. Sandhwan said that it is important to educate students about politics because they are the future of the country, some of them can be leaders of the future. He said, there is apathy towards politics in the young generation and we are duty bound to remove this tendency. Thus, a mock session will be held in the Vidhan Sabha in the coming days with the intention of motivating students towards politics and creating their interest in politics.

          The Speaker asked the students of 6th to 9th standard that on their return, they would write an essay about what they experienced in the Vidhan Sabha and the students who will clinch first three positions in each class will be bestowed with Rs.3100, Rs.2100 and Rs.1100 respectively.

          He also sensitize students about the importance of the Vidhan Sabha and the process of enacting and amending laws.

IEP CHANDIGARH/BATHINDA, February 21

          As part of the ongoing drive against anti-social elements, Punjab Police have thwarted a major attempt of contract killing with the arrest of two persons after recovering a .32 bore pistol along with one magazine and four live cartridges from their possession, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Tuesday.

          Those arrested have been identified as Tarandeep Singh alias Laddi of Jaito in Faridkot and Kuldeep Singh alias Kali of Sri Muktsar Sahib. Both the arrested accused persons are history-sheeter and wanted by the Punjab Police in extortion case and Haryana Police in car snatched on gunpoint case.

          DGP Gaurav Yadav said that in an operation led by Counter Intelligence Unit of Sri Muktsar Sahib, Police teams have arrested both the accused persons, who were hatching a conspiracy to kill Malout-based person on directions of USA based Niranjan Singh alias Nick.

          Preliminary investigations suggest that accused Nick wanted to settle scores with his relative and had paid Laddi and Kali to kill him, he added. He said that accused Laddi had bought the pistol and ammunition from Madhya Pradesh to commit the contract killing.

          Divulging more details, AIG Counter Intelligence Bathinda zone Simratpal Singh Dhindsa said that accused Nick has so far sent at least Rs 2.50 lakh in the bank of Laddi’s mother for purchasing weapon from MP and other expenses incurred to accomplish the task. Further investigations are on, he said.

          Meanwhile, a case FIR no. 7 dated 21-02-2023 has been registered under section 25 of the Arms Act at Police Station SSOC Fazilka.

IEP Chandigarh February 21

           The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) during its ongoing campaign against corruption in the state on Tuesday arrested a revenue Patwari Bakar Singh, of halqua Palla Megha, Ferozepur district for committing embezzlement of Rs 1,11,08,236 during acquisition of land in connivance with two private persons.

          Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of the VB said during the investigation of a vigilance enquiry, the Punjab government had acquired a land measuring 46 Kanals for the BSF to set up a border out post at New Mohammadi Wala near village Palla Megha in the year 2002 to 2012.

          He further added that the accused the above said accused Patwari, now a dismissed Kanugo, in connivance with other two accused Billu Singh of Palla Megha, Ferozepur district and Amritbir Singh of village Aasal Uttar, Tarntaran district had misappropriated Rs 1,11,08,236 in the said case. The accused Patwari had distorted the revenue records and entered names of the above mentioned co-accused as owners of the said land. Subsequently, he released two cheques of compensation amounting to Rs 55,54,118 each on the  basis of forged record to both the co-accused on 07-11-2012. In addition to this, the accused Patwari had acquired private land measuring 16 Kanals and 16 Marlas instead of adjoining government land in order to provide financial benefit to the other accused. 

          The spokesperson further added that on the basis of this enquiry a case FIR No 05, dated 21-02-2023, under section 218, 409, 420, 465, 467, 468, 471, 120-B of IPC and 13(1)(a), 13(2) of prevention of corruption act at VB police station Ferozepur. Further investigation in this regard was under progress and the other accused would be arrested soon as the teams has already been formed, he added

IEP Chandigarh, February 21

          Reiterating firm commitment of state government to make Punjab a frontrunner state in field of education, the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday launched portal for admission in 117 schools of eminence.

          Launching the portal www.ePunjabschools.gov.in/school-eminence/ , the Chief Minister envisioned that these schools will enable the students of the state to excel in field of academics. He said that these schools will act as catalyst to transform the lives of students by giving a new direction to their lives. Bhagwant Mann said that the schools of eminence are equipped with the best class facilities and state of the art infrastructure to enable the students to compete across the globe.

          The Chief Minister said that exactly a month ago the schools of eminence were dedicated to the people of the state. He said that these schools will impart quality education to the students in field of medical (MBBS), IIT, MBA and Law to ensure that they become active partners of 21st century. Bhagwant Mann said that these schools will play a major role in imparting quality education to the students thereby excelling in their lives.

          The Chief Minister said that 75% seats in these schools will be reserved for the students of the government schools whereas the remaining 25% seats will be reserved for the private schools. He said that the parents can apply on this portal by March 10 and ensure that their children excel in field of education. Bhagwant Mann said that the state government is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that quality education is imparted to the students of the state for restoring the pristine glory of the state.

IEP Chandigarh, February 21      

    As part of the ongoing drive to make Punjab a crime-free and drug-free state as per the vision of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Punjab Police on Tuesday conducted a Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) across the state aimed at deterring anti-social elements and instilling sense of security and safety among common public. The operation was conducted on the directions of Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav.        The operation was conducted from 11am to 4pm simultaneously in all the 28 Police districts of the state and ADGP/IGP rank officers from Punjab Police Headquarters were deputed in each Police district to personally supervise the operation. The CPs/SSPs were told to plan this operation in a meticulous manner by identifying notorious/infamous mohallas/villages where drugs are prevalent or certain areas which have become shelter/safe haven for criminals and anti-social elements, to carry out this operation amid massive deployment of the police force. DGP Gaurav Yadav reiterated that making Punjab a drug-free state besides eliminating gangster culture, maintaining law and order, and detection of crime is the topmost priority of the Punjab Police.           Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Law and Order Arpit Shukla, who joined Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ropar Range Gurpreet Singh Bhullar and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Sandeep Garg in SAS Nagar, said that the Punjab Police have not been leaving any stone unturned to make Punjab free from crime and drugs. “These kinds of CASOs at mass-scale level not only help in infusing fear among anti-social elements, but also boost public confidence and increase the presence of the cops in the field,” he said. The ADGP said that during the operation, Police teams have cordoned off over 324 hotspot areas and as many as 5781 persons were frisked of which 205 persons have been arrested. The Police have also registered 187 first information reports (FIRs) and arrested nine proclaimed offenders. Apart from this, the Police teams have recovered 2.8Kg Heroin and ₹2.20 lakh drug money, besides recovering other drugs.           The operation was conducted after the identification of drug and crime hotspots through data analysis by district police forces, he said, adding that proper frisking of suspected persons and complete search of houses was done by the Police force under the supervision of senior officers. He said that sniffer dogs were also deputed in these hotspots to ensure strict vigil.