11012025-LT-01.qxd 1/11/2025 12:46 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune COMMUTERS HARRIED DUE TO CLOSURE OF OVERBRIDGE GANGS OF WASSEYPUR ACTOR NOW VENTURES INTO WRITING PAYAL KAPADIA BAGS BEST INT’L FILM AWARD BY NYFCC The ROB on Pakhowal Road has been shut for traffic for three days, beginning Friday morning. P2 Bollywood actress Anuritta K Jha has also ventured into writing and producing with her short film Holikadahen. P4 Kapadia on Wednesday evening received the best international film award by the NYFCC. P4 » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 14°C | MIN 6°C YESTERDAY MAX 15°C | MIN 5°C SUNSET SATURDAY 5.42 PM SUNRISE SUNDAY 7:20 AM » SATURDAY | 11 JANUARY 2025 | LUDHIANA FIR registered against managing body of city’s premier school for land misuse Tribune News Service Ludhiana, January 10 A case has been registered against the managing committee of one of the oldest and premier schools in Ludhiana for misusing the land allotted to the institution on concessional rates by the Improvement Trust. The FIR has been registered under Section 173 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against the managing committee of New Higher Secondary School, Civil Lines, Ludhiana, at Police Division 5 on a complaint filed by the Improvement Trust, here. The action follows a complaint levelling serious allegations by the New High School Alumni Association, led by Bharti Enterprises vice-chairman Rakesh Bharti Mittal and Avon Cycles Group owner Onkar Singh Pahwa. The then Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney had on August 5 last ordered a magisterial probe into the case after Rajya Sabha MP from Ludhiana Sanjeev Arora had brought the matter to her notice. Arora, while forwarding a representation received from the school’s alumni association, had written to the DC on August 1 last that it has been brought to his attention by the New High School Alumni Association, headed by its chief patrons Rakesh Bharti Mittal (Bharti Enterprises) and Onkar Singh Pahwa (Avon Cycles Group), that the reputation New Higher Secondary School, Civil Lines, Ludhiana, FILE ACTION FOLLOWS ALLEGATIONS BY ALUMNI ASSN The action follows a complaint levelling serious allegations by the alumni association, led by Bharti Enterprises vice-chairman Rakesh Bharti Mittal and Avon Cycles Group owner Onkar Singh Pahwa. and operational integrity of the school (Civil Lines and Sarabha Nagar), once a prime institution of the state, has significantly declined under the current management committee. “There are serious allegations that the committee is misusing school properties for personal commercial gain, which is detrimentally affecting the school’s primary objective of providing quality education,” he had said. However, the school’s managing committee had refuted the allegations and had termed them “false and baseless”. Established in 1938, the school, which has two separate wings for boys and girls, was one of the most sought after institutions in Ludhiana. Top businessmen, bureaucrats and educationists were among the alumni of the school. According to the information, the Improvement Trust had filed a complaint with the Commissioner of Police, who marked it to the SHO, Police Division 5, following which an FIR has been registered against the school managing committee. The FIR stated that a land measuring 4.71 acre (1.59 acre and 3.12 acre) was allotted by the Improvement Trust, Ludhiana, for running the school at subsidised rates. “However, the present school management, while going against conditions of the allotment, divided the site of the school in various parts and illegally transferred the land to other persons,” the complaint alleged while stating the land was subdivided and used for commercial purposes. As per the FIR, different persons were given possession of the land on exorbitant rents after transferring the same. “Tampering/ cutting was found in the sale deed done in favour of the school by the Improvement Trust, Ludhiana,” the FIR stated while adding that a case had been registered against the school’s managing committee. The New High School Alumni Association, in its representation to the MP, on July 16 last, had mentioned that the school, with two campuses at Civil Lines and Sarabha Nagar, was the most sought after school in Ludhiana from 1938 to early 1990s till the time it was run under an able management committee. “Both the school wings achieved great milestones under their previous management. So was the status of their campuses that getting admission here was considered an achievement,” they had recalled, adding that top businessmen, officers and educationists of Ludhiana and elsewhere were products of the school. They had alleged that under the present managing committee, the school’s standard started deteriorating with both wings becoming almost defunct due to what they alleged as incompetent management committee. “They are using the school properties as personal properties with commercial interests rather than growth of the schools to impart education,” the association had further alleged while demanding a probe into the affairs of the school society for restoring the lost glory of the institution. The matter was also raised during the second grand reunion function of the New High School held under the banner of the alumni association in September last. The issue was raised among others by the association president Rajesh Garg and in response Arora had assured his fulsome support to the association members. Alumni welcome action Meanwhile, Onkar Singh Pahwa (Avon Cycles Group owner) and the New High School Alumni Association president Rajesh Garg have welcomed registration of an FIR. They have thanked MP Arora on whose recommendation the FIR has been registered. They said they only wanted the school’s old glory to be restored and it should start functioning in a smooth and better manner. While Pahwa demanded complete justice in the matter, Garg said school alumni were always ready to extend their cooperation to the government and the administration as well in the matter. Four more join AAP, ruling party confident of getting its Mayor elected Manav Mander Tribune News Service Ludhiana, January 10 As the swearing-in ceremony of the elected councillors and the House meeting, which is most likely to take place on January 14 is approaching near, the Aam Aadmi Party has reached out to 47 members. Though it is one short of halfway mark of 48 to prove majority, with all seven MLAs belonging to AAP it has com, pleted its numbers as MLAs are ex-officio members and part of the House and are also allowed to vote. If the MLAs vote, 52 votes would be required to prove majority and after new joining, AAP will reach the number 54. Ahead of the Mayoral elections, four more councillors have joined AAP on Friday and earlier, two councillors had joined the party. With this, now it’s number has reached 47. Those who joined AAP on Friday include Independent candidate Ratanjit Kaur from Ward 1 and Congress councillors Jagmeet Noni from Ward 42 and Paramjit Kaur from Ward 45. BJP councillor Anita from Ward 21 has also joined AAP . Earlier, Independent candidate Deepa Rani Chaudhary from Ward 11 had joined AAP and Congress councillor from Ward 6 Jagdish Lal had also joined the ruling party. SAD councillor Chatarveer Singh had also joined AAP but returned to SAD. He alleged that he was pressured to join AAP . After all candidates take the oath, the Mayor will be elected. The party with the highest number of seats will be offered to form the House. Ludhiana has 95 wards and AAP has won 41 seats and is short of seven seats to prove majority. In addition to 95 councillors, there are also seven urban MLAs, who are ex-officio members and part of the House and are also allowed to vote. In case votes of all seven urban MLAs (all are from AAP) are added, the total members will be 102 (95 councillors plus seven MLAs) and 52 members would be required to elect the new Mayor. In this situation, AAP has completed its members to prove their majority in the House and get its Mayor elected. A senior AAP leader from Ludhiana said they had completed the numbers and are, in fact, two more than the required members, as the MLAs would also vote during the House meeting for the Mayoral elections. “We are ready and will form the House and get our Mayor elected,” he said. The post of Mayor in Ludhiana has been reserved for woman and the names from AAP that are making rounds are Amrit Varsha Rampal, Principal Inderjeet Kaur, Nidhi Gupta, Nandini Jairath, Maninder Kaur Ghuman and advocate Mehak Chadha. Elections to the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation were held on December 21. Of the 95 wards, the ruling AAP had won 41 seats, Congress 30, the BJP 19, Shiromani Akali Dal two and Independents had bagged three seats. Institution’s prestige at stake: RS MP “It is a serious matter where the prestige of a premier institution of Ludhiana is at stake. We will not let anybody destroy or misuse any institution and ensure their proper functioning,” said Sanjeev Arora, RS MP . Anita, BJP councillor from Ward 21, has joined AAP in Ludhiana on Friday. Ex-Army officer loses ~35.3L Watchman booked Register FIRagainst Irrigation in digital arrest fraud case for sodomising child AXING OF TREES, ILLEGAL MINING IN FOREST AREA Dept officials, others, says PAC Tribune News Service Ludhiana, January 10 On Friday, the Public Action Committee (PAC) has filed a complaint with the Regional Officer of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change as well as District Forest Officer of Ludhiana against engineers of the Irrigation Department and private contractor concerned for illegally axing a large number of trees, illegal mining, burning of wood in forest as well as installation of batching plant (concrete mix) within the forest area of Ludhiana along the Sirhind Canal Feeder near Doraha. Kuldeep Singh Khaira and Samita Kaur said after the axing of trees was highlighted on social media, members of the Public Action Committee (PAC) visited the location near Doraha and found serious violations. “When we contacted the DFO, Rajesh Gulati, he sent the Range Officer as well as guard to the location. When the other side of the canal bank was inspected, it was found that illegal mining had been done by the contractor along sides of trees situated within the forest area, resulting into major damages to roots. Many trees have leaned towards one side due to excavation as well as cut roots, which indicates that the trees have loosened their The spot where axing of trees and mining were done in an illegal manner in the forest area near Doraha. grip with the earth and likely to fall at any time in the near future,” said Khaira. Er. Kapil Arora and Jaskirat Singh, PAC members, said parts of tree trunks were found lying there and the earth was removed in arched shape which indicates that trees from these spots had been axed. Besides illegal mining, one batching plant to cement concrete has been installed within the forest area. Two underground water tanks have also been constructed by excavating the forest area. It is a matter of investigation that how such huge machinery has been allowed to set up by the Irrigation Department by going against the environment norms. Some workers of the contractor have also made hutments and are regularly burning forest leaves and dry wood within the forest area which was causing air pollution and further damage to the environment. Members of the PAC Dr Amandeep Singh Bains, Col JS Gill and Gurpreet Singh said this forest belt was a natural habitat of wildlife and illegal mining, axing of trees and installation of machines have resulted in major environmental damages as well as threat to wildlife. Tribune News Service Ludhiana, January 10 A retired colonel of Indian Army lost Rs 35.30 lakh in a digital arrest fraud case. After realising about the fraud, the 81-year-old victim lodged a police complaint and following investigation, the Cyber Police Station here has registered a case. The complainant, Col Parupkar Singh (retd), a resident of Sarabha Nagar, told the police that he had received calls from some unknown people who posed themselves as CBI and police officials. They informed him that his name emerged in some hawala racket and he would face strict action. “The suspects told me that I have been digitally arrested in the case and will face legal action as per law. They forced me to transfer Rs 35.30 lakh in bank accounts provided by them. Later, I realised that I was cheated by cyber fraudsters, following which I lodged a police complaint,”the complainant told the police. ASI Sukhdev Singh said after registering a case further investigation was launched to identify and arrest the suspects. Notably, Padma Bhushan awardee $1-billion worth Vardhman Group CMD SP Oswal was among the victims, who alone had lost Rs 7 crore in the country’s one of the biggest cyber frauds reported so far in Ludhiana. Oswal had received a WhatsApp call and the caller posed himself as a CBI officer from the Mumbai office. The caller told Vardhman Group owner that he has opened a fake bank account in Canara Bank and a case has been registered against him in the CBI. Now, his case is being transferred to the ED. Oswal was further threatened while putting him under digital arrest through a Skype video call for an initial 24 hours. Similarly, many cases of cyber fraud with similar modus operandi were reported in the city in the past. — TNS Ludhiana, January 10 The Jamalpur police on Thursday registered a case of sexual exploitation against the watchman of Braille Bhawan situated near Jamalpur Chowk, Chandigarh road. The suspect had been sexually abusing a child for the past one year. The Jamalpur police have registered a case against him and started conducting raids to nab the man. Braille Bhawan’s superintendent Amandeep Singh, who gave a complaint against the suspect, said mentally challenged children stay and study at the bhawan. Someone informed him that the watchman, Prabhjot Singh, had been sexually exploiting a mentally challenged boy, around 15 years old. “When the matter was investigated at our level, the allegation was found to be true. Prabhjot used to indulge in unnatural sex with the child.” he said. He added that on the night of 24 November, 2024, the suspect also sexually abused the child. In the matter, the police have registered the case against Prabhjot under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences POCSO Act. The suspect was yet to be arrested. Shiv Sena leaders seek arrest in temple theft case Tribune News Service Ludhiana, January 10 Shiv Sena leaders, along with members of Pracheen Sheetla Mata Mandir committee today gathered at the office of the Commissioner of Police (CP) and demanded immediate arrest of the suspects. Since the CP Kuldeep , Singh Chahal, was not available, they met DCP (Investigation) Shubham Aggarwal and submitted a memorandum of demand to him. The DCP assured committee members that the investigation in the case c m y b Shiv Sena leaders and committee members of Pracheen Sheetla Mata Mandir gather at the CP's office in Ludhiana. ASHWANI DHIMAN was going on at good pace and the police had already gathered some vital clues about that suspects. Furthermore the police parties were already on hunt to nab the them, soon the case would be cracked and the suspects would be arrested, the DCP said. Shiv Sena leader Rajiv Tandon said: “We hope the police will soon put the suspects behind the bar and extend justice to members of the Hindu community whose religious emotions were hurt by the suspects by damaging idols installed in the temple.” Ashok Sachhar president of the temple committee, said the Ludhiana police should take the matter seriously and arrest the suspects in the next few days. Other committee members said if the police failed to arrest the miscreants in a few days, they would start an agitation against the police and they might also jam roads to seek justice. Notably, on the intervening night of January 5 and 6, thieves barged into the temple area and decamped with jewellery worth Rs 40 lakh. The suspects also damaged the lingam and idols.