01082025-LT-01.qxd 8/1/2025 12:47 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune RESIDENTS OPPOSE MC PLAN TO CONSTRUCT TANK IN PARK THREE GIRLS WIN LAURELS IN CBSE U-14 TT TOURNEY Kidwai Nagar residents are opposing move to shift proposed site of a water tank from a vacant plot to a park. P2 JJ VALAYA CALLS INDIA A ‘TREASURE TROVE’ OF IDEAS The talented girls, Kavya Gupta, Shanaya Goyal and Gauranshi Uppal, study in DPS, Ludhiana. P3 » PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 30°C | MIN 25°C YESTERDAY MAX 31°C | MIN 24°C SUNSET FRIDAY 7.16 PM Ace designer’s latest collection served as a fitting closing show to India Couture Week 2025. P4 » FORECAST SUNRISE SATURDAY 5:42 AM » FRIDAY | 1 AUGUST 2025 | LUDHIANA brought on Contractor gets notice for delay in Gangster Kuldeep KumarBathindajail production warrant from completing road construction work Nikhil Bhardwaj ~50L EXTORTION CASE Tribune News Service Civic body took action following numerous complaints from residents, councillor Tribune News Service Ludhiana, July 31 The Municipal Corporation (MC) has issued a stern warning through a showcause notice to a contractor responsible for road construction in Mohalla Fatehganj, Benjamin Road. The notice cited significant delays by the contractor and public inconvenience. Sources maintained that the MC took action following numerous complaints from local residents and area councillor Arun Sharma, who have expressed frustration over damaged roads, especially amid the ongoing rainy season. The councillor said old roads were excavated, only for the project to stall, making commuting difficult and hazardous. “If the contractor was not going to construct the roads, then he shouldn’t have scratched the old ones. Now, residents staying in the locality are facing huge inconvenience,” he said. “The work was allotted to you on November 11, 2024, with a time limit of eight months. It has been reported by the area JE that you have started the work of constructing streets but you have stopped the work after constructing one street. You are being asked many times verbally and over the phone to start the work but you have not given any response in this regard. The image of the Municipal Corporation is also being tarnished due to the same. Please submit your explanation in writing within three days and restart and complete the work as soon as possible. Failure to do so will result in a written complaint to the higher authorities for appropriate action. It should be considered extremely important,” the notice issued to contractor reads. Benjamin Road, the work of which is lying pending, in Ludhiana. >>> ‘Ineligible’ cop continues to investigate IT Act cases Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, July 31 Inspector Jatinder Singh who solved high-profile cyber crime cases while being posted as the SHO, Cyber Crime police station, in the Ludhiana police has now embroiled in a controversy. Despite holding a local inspector rank, he continued to investigate cases related to the IT Act, which he was not authorised to do. Regarding the matter, citybased advocate Gaganpreet Singh has filed a writ petition in the High Court (HC) against the inspector. The complainant stated that in 2022, he filed a case under the IT Act against an individual. The other party initiated an inquiry into the matter. The probe was marked to the then posted inspector Jatinder Singh. After his probe, he prepared a report favouring the suspect and dismissed the FIR. He protested the same and conducted his own investigation. He discovered that Jatinder was a local rank officer. As per Section 78 of the IT High Court asks top cop to file reply in matter Act, only a regular SHO can investigate cases under the Information Technology (IT) Act and a local rank SHO cannot conduct such inquiries. Gaganpreet said he then presented a letter signed by Jatinder Singh in 2023 regarding some cyber case investigation, stating that he was a local rank official and not competent to investigate IT Act cases. Collecting various such documents, he filed a writ petition in the HC, which has taken cognisance and sought a response from the CP . Gaganpreet claimed that he collected another document detailing inspector Jatinder’s promotions. The document stated that Jatinder was promoted to the post of head constable in 2008, became an ASI in 2010 and a SI in 2015. These three ranks were achieved without passing the lower school course, intermediate school course and upper school course, yet he was promoted to the post of inspector in 2021. He continued to be promoted without clearing required tests. Inspector Jatinder, who solved several major cases, including a Rs 7-crore fraud case of the Chairman of the Vardhman Group and an interstate cyber call centre, was honoured with the CM Medal on Independence Day last year. Meanwhile, inspector Jatinder said: “Someone abused Gaganpreet’s wife on Facebook. In that case, due to his own negligence, he failed to collect evidence, such as the Facebook URL link. Consequently, the FIR could not be sustained. It was not my fault. But Gaganpreet holds a grudge against me due to that incident and has filed complaints in the past. However, I know I am correct because Section 78 states that an SHO-rank official can probe and there is no mention of ‘local’ or ‘regular’ in it.” CP Swapan Sharma said the matter predates his posting in Ludhiana. When he joined, SHO Jatinder was removed from the cyber cell as a local rank official could not probe cases related to IT Act. ~62 cr GST evasion unearthed; 2 held Tribune News Service Ludhiana, July 31 Based on specific intelligence, the Central GST, Ludhiana, conducted investigation against multiple firms in the field of audio video productions and unearthed GST evasion worth Rs 62 crore. Prima facie, it appears that the firms have imported services worth Rs 342 crore from overseas entities and evaded GST on the same. The probe further revealed that they had not followed any documentation process mandated as per the GST laws, which shows the blatant nature of the tax evasion. The two individuals who were involved in creating and operating the multiple firms have been arrested on Wednesday. With the two arrests made so far in the case, the investigation is ongoing to uncover the full network and quantum of GST evasion involved. The CGST, Ludhiana Commissionerate, reaffirms its commitment to detect tax frauds and thus, ensuring a level-playing field for honest taxpayers. Ludhiana, July 31 A day after the Ludhiana police brought A-Category gangster Amrik Singh, alias Vicky Marado, on production warrant from a Hoshiarpur jail in connection with the Rs 50-lakh extortion call made to Rajguru Nagar resident Manjit Singh, owner of a tour and travel firm, the police on Thursday brought another notorious gangster Kuldeep Kumar, alias Sunny Nai, a resident of Ludhiana, on production warrant from a Bathinda jail. Sunny is believed to have made the extortion call to Manjit. Earlier, the FIR regarding the extortion case was registered against unidentified persons on July 16 at the Sadar police station. As per the FIR, the complainant alleged that between May 31 and June 8, he received multiple threatening calls from international numbers and the caller identifying himself as gangster Gopi Lahoria had initially demanded Rs 50 lakh as extortion money. When the complainant did not pay the same, the former reduced the demand to Rs 10 lakh. The caller had threatened to harm the complainant and his family if the money was not paid. Since gangster Marado was also booked in the case, now Sunny was also nominated in it. In further probe, the police also want to inquire if Sunny and Marado were also in touch, despite lodged in separate jails, to carry out extortions or other crimes. ADCP (Investigation) Amandeep Singh Brar said Sunny was brought from the Bathinda jail as his role was being suspected behind the Rs 50-lakh extortion call to the Rajguru resident. “Now, a two-day police remand of the suspect was obtained from court for Govt school in-charge suspended for performing ‘black magic, misconduct’ Shivani Bhakoo Tribune News Service Ludhiana, July 31 Kamaljit Kaur, in-charge of Government Primary School (GPS), Bhukri Kalan, was suspended with immediate effect on Wednesday evening following serious allegations of misconduct, including performing of ‘black magic’ and smoking on school premises. The suspension orders were issued by Harkirat Kaur Chane, Director, School Education (Elementary), Punjab, after a formal complaint was lodged by the District Education Officer (DEO), Elementary, here. According to official sources, the DEO’s office received a written complaint from the gram panchayat of Bhukri Kalan on Wednesday. Panchayat members alleged that Kamaljit Kaur indulged in objectionable activities, including black magic practices, which left students terrified and unwilling to attend the school. It was also alleged that she smoked on the school premises and behaved badly with students due to Government Primary School in Bhukri Kalan. which the latter were scared. Parents of the children reportedly approached the panchayat, expressing concern over her behaviour, which, they said, was impacting students’ attendance and mental wellbeing. The panchayat, in turn, took up the matter with the DEO Elementary, demanding swift action. Reacting promptly, the DEO forwarded the complaint to the Director of School Education, who ordered her suspension. The DEO (Elementary), Ravinder Kaur, said: “The teacher has been suspended due to multiple complaints. Such acts will not be tolerated on the school premises. She had earlier been suspended in August 2024 as well for physically Impounded, unclaimed vehicles dumped on roads outside police stations Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, July 31 Hundreds of impounded and unclaimed vehicles had been lying on roads outside police stations for many years. Areas around many police In past decade, only a few auctions were held due to tedious process involving nod from court stations have turned into a junkyard due to the slow process of disposal of the vehicles through auction, lack of space with the stations and the lathargic approach of people who fail to turn up to claim their vehicles. In the past one decade, only a few auctions of such vehicles were held by the police reportedly due to the tedious process involving the require- Impounded and unclaimed vehicles lying outside the SBS Nagar police post and (right) Police Division 5 in Ludhiana. PHOTOS: ASHWANI DHIMAN ment of permission from court or other quarters due to which the police have left with no option than to keep them at the police stations concerned. During a survey conducted at the police stations, it was noticed that some vehicles are bundled inside, which not only reduce the breathing space but also give a weird look to police stations. Interestingly, some of the police stations have dumped the vehicles outside, on roads. The practice has not only leading to encroachment on roads but also causing traffic disruptions. Commuters are facing inconvenience due to the encroachments. Jodhewal, Haibowal, Police Divison 7, Police Division 5, Police Division 4, Jagatpuri police post and Sarabha Nagar police stations have also put vehicles on roads, disrupting the traffic flow. The Jagatpuri police post in the Haibowal police station is situated in a residential area near Jawala Singh chowk. It has literally encroached a road. Residents said they could not force the police to remove the vehicles. Arvind Sharma, an RTI activist, said situation was grim outside the SBS Nagar police post where vehicles were dumped on the road and that c m y b the questioning of the gangster. The police will inquire if he made a call to the resident to extort Rs 50 lakh. The police will also check if Sunny and Marado are in touch from separate jails,” Brar said. The ADCP revealed that Sunny had been facing around 12 heinous crimes, including the murder of Rinkle Khera, a BJP worker, on June 19, 2019, attempt to murders and Rs 5.80-lakh loot. As per the police, Sunny is said to be the aide of Khalistani terrorist Harinder Singh Rinda, who is reportedly staying in Pakistan, and at Rinda’s behest, he, along with his aide, attempted to blow the Ropar police post and after his arrest in April 2022, the police had also seized a tiffin bomb hidden by them in an abandoned well near their hideout in Una district of HP The police had . shared the information after his arrest in the blast case. too in a hazardous manner. “Several vehicles are kept on one another and if the same falls during strong winds or heavy rain, passers-by or commuters may suffer injuries. Residents of SBS Nagar had requested the Police Department many times to shift the vehicles to some safer place to prevent any untoward incident,” he said. CP Swapan Sharma instructions to dispose of such vehicles were already given to heads of all police stations. “Every thana head has already initiated the process months ago. Now, it is expected that in coming few months, the police stations will dispose of maximum vehicles. A nodal officer has also been appointed to dispose of such vehicles and the official’s job was to give priority to the work. Besides, to dispose of vehicles lying as case properties in police stations under the NDPS Act, a separate procedure was being followed,” he added. Sharma claimed that he was personally overseeing the process of vehicle disposal and takes regular updates from the thana heads about the upkeep of the same. If some vehicles are kept on roads by any police station, the station heads concerned will be told to provide immediate solution. assaulting students while posted at Government Primary School, Jamalpur.” The decision has brought relief to the parents and panchayat members, who claimed that the students were avoiding school out of fear. “Now that action has been taken, we hope our children can study in a peaceful environment,” said a parent. Stressed due to studies, college girl ends her life Ludhiana, July 31 An 18-year-old student, identified as Bhavna, died by suicide by hanging herself at her residence in the Kitchlu Nagar area on Thursday morning. The victim was studying in BA at a private college. Her father was into property business. On Thursday morning, when her parents went to work and brother went to gym, she was alone at home. They said she made a noose of her dupatta and ended her life during their absence. The incident came to light, when the deceased’s mother, who works as a cook, reached home and was shocked to see her hanging body. She raised the alarm after which residents informed the police. SHO, PAU police station, Harshveer Singh, said as per the statement of the kin, the girl was stressed due to her studies. Suspecting no foul play, the police initiated inquest proceedings under Section 194, BNS. — TNS