Punjab Government refuses 5-star facility to HC judges in Amritsar

Chandigarh, November 20
The Punjab Government has refused to concede to the demand of the Punjab and Haryana High Court for the construction of an “exclusive five-star guest house” for judges in Amritsar.

The government has instead offered to reserve a separate floor in the proposed multi-storey guest house for judges.

A committee of High Court judges had asked the state government to construct an exclusive guest house for them on a piece of land near Kachehri chowk in Amritsar, where the old sessions court stood. The old sessions court building is now being demolished as the new judicial complex has become functional.

The guest house was required since the city was frequented by judges of the Punjab and Haryana High Court as well as other High Courts to pay obeisance at the Golden Temple, the committee had said. An exclusive guest house would have ensured minimum inconvenience to the judges in case other government guest houses, such as the Circuit House, were fully occupied, it had contended. But the land on which the old building of the sessions court stood is now worth hundreds of crores of rupees.

The state government proposes to set up a multi-storey guest house there in public-private partnership to be managed by a hotel chain. The government proposes to build this facility for all visiting dignitaries and not exclusively for any particular section of VIPs.

“We have now informed the High Court that instead of constructing an exclusive guest house for judges, a set of 10-12 rooms in the proposed multi-storey complex will be reserved exclusively for judges,” said a senior official in the Punjab government. The government has also reiterated that some rooms in the Circuit House in Amritsar will always be reserved for the judges.

Government offers an alternative A committee of HC judges had sought an exclusive guest house for them on a piece of land in Amristar where the old sessions court stood It contended that the facility was required as the city was frequented by judges to pay obeisance at the Golden Temple But the government proposes to set up a multi-storey guest house on the land as it is now worth hundreds of crores of rupees It has offered to reserve a separate floor in the proposed guest house for judges

Mistaken Identity Case: Punjab police deletes name of NRI from 'Non Hardcore Terrorists’ list'

Chandigarh, 14th November, 2013 (NLGC): The Punjab Police today informed the Punjab and Haryana High Court that they had deleted the name of US settled NRI Shingara Singh, a native of village Jassomajra in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district,  from the list of 'Non-Hardcore Terrorists'  from the list of ‘Non-Hardcore Terrorists’.

Shingara Singh had submitted that his name has been included in the list of ‘Non-hard-core Terrorists’ maintained at police station Behiram in district Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar.

He informed the court that as per the information received under the RTI Act, SHO, police station Behiram has informed that no criminal case is pending against him but his name figures in the list of ‘Non-hard-core Terrorists’.

The petitioner had submitted that on account of similarity of his name with another Shingara Singh of Kapurthala district, who is a proclaimed offender, having a number of criminal cases pending against him, he is interrogated and harassed by Punjab police whenever he visits Punjab.

Time Line of the Case:

On September 7,2013 in a reply to the Shingara Singh's petition, DSP, Banga (District S.B.S. Nagar) filed affidavit making startling revelation before Punjab and Haryana Highcourt that  “Whosoever went abroad during the period of terrorism  in Punjab, his name was mentioned in the list of Hard-core Terrorists”. During the resumed hearing on Thursday, of a Criminal Petition filed by one Shingara Singh of Village Jasso Mazara, District S.B.S. Nagar (now NRI residing in USA) seeking direction to the Punjab Police to delete his name from the list of “Non-hardcore terrorists” maintained in the Police records of Police Station, Behram (District S.B.S. Nagar), inter-alia, on the grounds that he was never involved in any criminal case during his entire life, Shri Bhagwant Singh, DSP, Banga filed an affidavit  in the HC, candidly admitting that “during the period of terrorism, the persons who went abroad, as per report of Crime Branch, CID Security and Secret information, their names were mentioned in the “list of Hardcore terrorists”. DSP, in his affidavit, however, admitted that there is no record available with the Police showing involvement of the petitioner in the terrorist activities. Police has no objection if  his name is ordered to be deleted from the list of non-hardcore terrorists.  Taking serious exception to the aforesaid contents of the affidavit of DSP, Banga, Hon’ble Justice Ram Chander Gutpa , orally expressed his shock and dismay over the aforesaid statement by DSP, Banga, and also the conduct of the Police in itself not deleting the name of the petitioner from the list of non-hardcore terrorists, and instead    leaving  it to the HC to  order deletion of his name from the said list.

ਪਹਿਲੀ ਪਤਨੀ ਨੂੰ ਤਲਾਕ ਦਿੱਤੇ ਬਗੈਰ ਕਰਵਾਇਆ ਦੂਜਾ ਵਿਆਹ, ਧੋਖਾਦੇਹੀ ਦਾ ਮਾਮਲਾ ਦਰਜ

ਮੋਗਾ - ਮੋਗਾ ਜ਼ਿਲੇ ਦੇ ਪਿੰਡ ਧੱਲੇਕੇ ਨਿਵਾਸੀ ਮਨਪ੍ਰੀਤ ਕੌਰ ਨੇ ਆਪਣੇ ਪਤੀ ਨਛੱਤਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਤੇ ਆਪਣੀ ਪਹਿਲੀ ਪਤਨੀ ਨੂੰ ਤਲਾਕ ਦਿੱਤੇ ਬਗੈਰ ਉਸਦੇ ਨਾਲ ਦੂਜਾ ਵਿਆਹ ਕਰਵਾ ਕੇ ਉਸਦੇ ਨਾਲ ਧੋਖਾਦੇਹੀ ਕੀਤੇ ਜਾਣ ਦਾ ਦੋਸ਼ ਲਗਾਇਆ ਹੈ। ਇਸ ਸਬੰਧ ਵਿਚ ਥਾਣਾ ਸਦਰ ਮੋਗਾ ਵਲੋਂ ਜਾਂਚ ਦੇ ਬਾਅਦ ਮਨਪ੍ਰੀਤ ਕੌਰ ਪੁੱਤਰੀ ਬਲਦੇਵ ਸਿੰਘ ਨਿਵਾਸੀ ਧੱਲੇਕੇ ਦੀ ਸਿਕਾਇਤ ਤੇ ਨਛੱਤਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਪੁੱਤਰ ਭਰਪੂਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਨਿਵਾਸੀ ਪਿੰਡ ਲੂੰਡੇਵਾਲਾ (ਕੋਟ ਭਾਈ) ਮੁਕਤਸਰ ਦੇ ਵਿਰੁੱਧ ਧੋਖਾਦੇਹੀ ਦਾ ਮਾਮਲਾ ਦਰਜ ਕੀਤਾ ਗਿਆ ਹੈ। ਇਸ ਮਾਮਲੇ ਦੀ ਜਾਂਚ ਸਹਾਇਕ ਥਾਣੇਦਾਰ ਅਮਰਜੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਵਲੋਂ ਕੀਤੀ ਜਾ ਰਹੀ ਹੈ। ਪੁਲਸ ਸੂਤਰਾਂ ਤੋਂ ਮਿਲੀ ਜਾਣਕਾਰੀ ਦੇ ਅਨੁਸਾਰ ਜ਼ਿਲਾ ਪੁਲਸ ਮੁਖੀ ਮੋਗਾ ਨੂੰ ਦਿੱਤੇ ਸ਼ਿਕਾਇਤ ਪੱਤਰ ਵਿਚ ਮਨਪ੍ਰੀਤ ਕੌਰ ਨੇ ਕਿਹਾ ਕਿ ਅਖ਼ਬਾਰ ਵਿਚ ਛਪੇ ਇਸ਼ਤਿਹਾਰ ਦੇ ਅਧਾਰ ਤੇ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨਛੱਤਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਨਾਲ ਸੰਪਰਕ ਕੀਤਾ ਜਿਸ ਤੇ ਨਛੱਤਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਨੇ ਸਾਨੂੰ ਦੱਸਿਆ ਕਿ ਉਸਦੀ ਪਹਿਲੀ ਸ਼ਾਦੀ ਕੁਲਦੀਪ ਕੌਰ ਪੁੱਤਰੀ ਜਸਵੰਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਨਿਵਾਸੀ ਬਸਤੀ ਸੁਰਾਗਪੁਰੀ ਮੁਕਤਸਰ ਦੇ ਨਾਲ ਹੋਈ ਸੀ ਅਤੇ ਉਸਦਾ ਆਪਣੀ ਪਤਨੀ ਦੇ ਨਾਲ ਅਦਾਲਤ ਵਿਚ ਤਲਾਕ ਹੋ ਚੁੱਕਾ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ ਉਸਦਾ ਕੋਈ ਬੱਚਾ ਵੀ ਨਹੀਂ ਹੈ ਜਿਸ ਤੇ ਅਸੀਂ ਉਸਦੀ ਗੱਲਾਂ ਤੇ ਯਕੀਨ ਕਰ ਲਿਆ। ਮਨਪ੍ਰੀਤ ਕੌਰ ਨੇ ਕਿਹਾ ਕਿ ਉਸਦੀ ਸ਼ਾਦੀ 6 ਫਰਵਰੀ 2013 ਨੂੰ ਕਥਿਤ ਦੋਸ਼ੀ ਨਛੱਤਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਦੇ ਨਾਲ ਧਾਰਮਿਕ ਰੀਤੀਰਿਵਾਜਾਂ ਦੇ ਅਨੁਸਾਰ ਹੋਈ ਸੀ। ਹੁਣ ਸਾਨੂੰ ਪਤਾ ਲੱਗਾ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਮੇਰੇ ਪਤੀ ਨਛੱਤਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਦਾ ਆਪਣੀ ਪਤਨੀ ਦੇ ਨਾਲ ਅਦਾਲਤ ਵਿਚ ਕੋਈ ਤਲਾਕ ਨਹੀਂ ਹੋਇਆ ਅਤੇ ਉਸਦੇ ਬੱਚੇ ਵੀ ਹਨ। ਇਸ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਉਸਨੇ ਸਾਨੂੰ ਧੋਖੇ ਵਿਚ ਰੱਖ ਕੇ ਮੇਰੇ ਨਾਲ ਵਿਆਹ ਕਰਵਾਇਆ ਅਤੇ ਬੱਚਿਆਂ ਦੇ ਬਾਰੇ ਵਿਚ ਵੀ ਨਹੀਂ ਦੱਸਿਆ। ਇਸ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਉਸਨੇ ਸਾਡੇ ਨਾਲ ਧੋਖਾ ਕੀਤਾ ਹੈ। ਜ਼ਿਲਾ ਪੁਲਸ ਮੁਖੀ ਨੇ ਉਕਤ ਮਾਮਲੇ ਦੀ ਜਾਂਚ ਵੁਮੈਨ ਸੈੱਲ ਮੋਗਾ ਦੀ ਮੁਖੀ ਇੰਸਪੈਕਟਰ ਕਸ਼ਮੀਰ ਕੌਰ ਨੂੰ ਇਸ ਮਾਮਲੇ ਦੀ ਜਾਂਚ ਕਰਨ ਦਾ ਆਦੇਸ਼ ਦਿੱਤਾ। ਜਾਂਚ ਸਮੇਂ ਸ਼ਿਕਾਇਤ ਕਰਤਾ ਮਨਪ੍ਰੀਤ ਕੌਰ ਦੇ ਦੋਸ਼ ਸਹੀ ਪਾਏ ਜਾਣ ਦੇ ਬਾਅਦ ਜਾਂਚ ਅਧਿਕਾਰੀ ਵਲੋਂ ਜਾਂਚ ਰਿਪੋਰਟ ਜ਼ਿਲਾ ਪੁਲਸ ਮੁਖੀ ਮੋਗਾ ਨੂੰ ਸੌਂਪ ਦਿੱਤੀ ਜਿੰਨਾਂ ਦੇ ਆਦੇਸ਼ ਤੇ ਕਥਿਤ ਦੋਸ਼ੀ ਨਛੱਤਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਦੇ ਵਿਰੁੱਧ ਧੋਖਾਦੇਹੀ ਦਾ ਮਾਮਲਾ ਦਰਜ ਕੀਤਾ ਗਿਆ ਹੈ। ਇਸ ਮਾਮਲੇ ਦੀ ਜਾਂਚ ਸਹਾਇਕ ਥਾਣੇਦਾਰ ਅਮਰਜੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਵਲੋਂ ਕੀਤੀ ਜਾ ਰਹੀ ਹੈ। ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦੱਸਿਆ ਕਿ ਕਥਿਤ ਦੋਸ਼ੀ ਦੀ ਗ੍ਰਿਫਤਾਰੀ ਬਾਕੀ ਹੈ।

Indian-origin former Canadian MP begins campaign in Punjab against fraud marriages

New Delhi:  Indian-origin former Canadian parliamentarian Ruby Dhalla has kick-started a campaign to help women victims of fraud marriages in Punjab.

The campaign is being spearheaded by 'Dreams for You', an NGO, which focuses on helping, supporting and empowering women who have been "victimised, impacted and affected with the growing phenomena of fraud marriages".

Dhalla has also brought out a fashion label "Ruby Red", comprising gowns, kurtas, dresses and kaftans, whose sale proceeds would be channeled towards the charity.

Dhalla, who is the first Sikh Parliamentarian in Canada, says she used to deal with a lot of cases from the Indian community there concerning fraud marriages and during a visit to India had met an "unexpectedly huge" number of people who turned up to meet her.

"I have been working on this issue for many years in Canada. I remember in 2004 a lot of women from ethnic communities and the Indian community began coming to me with such issues. When I came to Punjab in 2009, I asked them to organise a function to meet these women. I thought only about 15 to 20 women would show up and we would discuss the issue. To my shock I remember walking into the event with hundreds of women lined up outside and other thousands inside that little community centre. They were in tears and pleading with me to help them," Dhalla said during her recent visit in New Delhi.

The former member of the Canadian House of Commons said it was about that time when she decided to help the women.

"These women have so little. They are neither here nor there. They are not divorced, they are not married. They are just living in a sense of abandonment. And it is difficult for these women to live with their in-laws or even at their parents' home," Dhalla said.

Through her NGO, Dhalla says she wants to raise awareness about issues like registration of marriages, development of an NRI wing, imparting skill training and proving legal assistance to those affected.

"Besides raising awareness on the issue, one of the elements that I advocate for is the need to develop an NRI wing where issues like this would go to and where people can come forward and there is a sense of collectivity," she said.