No exemption from appearance to ex-DGP, to get fresh summons
: The court of Faridkot judicial magistrate on Friday dismissed former Punjab director general of police (DGP) Sumedh Singh Saini’s application seeking exemption from appearance and issued fresh warrants against him in connection with the charge sheet filed in Kotkapura police firing.
The SIT had filed a supplementary charge sheet against Saini on January 18, naming him as a conspirator in the Kotkapura firing case.
The judicial magistrate Ekta Uppal also dismissed Saini’s two other applications seeking a copy of the supplementary charge sheet and inspection of the case files. Saini was summoned to appear in the court of Faridkot judicial magistrate on February 18 in connection with the supplementary charge sheet filed by the special investigation team (SIT) against him in the case. The matter was adjourned by a day for arguments on applications moved by Saini’s counsel. However, the court dismissed all the applications and issued fresh summons against Saini for March 26.
Exemption not sustainable: Court
In her order, judicial magistrate Uppal said: “Now, clearly as per record, accused has yet not appeared in the court, so the question of his exemption, is not sustainable at this stage. However, as the summons are unserved, so the case is to proceed further. Hence, the application stands disposed of, without the exemption. Fresh summons be issued to the accused for March 26.”
While dismissing Saini’s applications seeking copy of the charge sheet and inspection of case files, she said defence failed to draw any corroboration to its contentions regarding supplying of copies of the report and file inspection by counsel in circumstances where accused stated to be represented by counsel but is yet to appear in court. “The defence version failed to find any corroboration, hence none of the above applications of the defence counsel could find merits and both the above applications are accordingly dismissed,” she added.
Hearing in trial court adjourned
However, the district and sessions court on Friday adjourned the hearing in Behbal Kalan and Kotkapura firing case to March 12. All the accused, including suspended inspector general of police Paramraj Singh Umaranangal, appeared before the court.
BATHINDA : The Punjab government is likely to de-reserve the post of mayor in the high-stake Bathinda municipal corporation.
In July 2008, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD’s) Baljit Singh Bir Behman was elected as the first mayor of Bathinda as a general category candidate. But in the next civic body polls in 2015, the top office of the local body was reserved for a Scheduled Caste candidate. In March 2015, Akali leader Balwant Rai Nath was elected unopposed for the coveted post when SADBJP alliance was in majority.
In the latest civic body elections, Congress successfully managed to penetrate the political bastion of the SAD after decades by winning 43 of the 50 seats.
Veteran Congress leader Jagroop Singh Gill is being seen as the strongest claimant to head the civic body. Gill was asked to quit as the chairperson of the district planning board to contest municipal corporation elections.
He successfully contested from Ward 48 and won the municipal polls for the record 7th time.
Gill was polled 1,452 votes whereas his nearest rival Nirmal Singh of SAD got only 876 votes. Gill had also held the posts of the chairperson of the Bathinda Improvement Trust, vice-president and president of the local civic body and the president of the District Bar Association.
Sources said the Congress leadership had handpicked Gill for the elections and he is likely to get rewarded with the mayoral post. Official sources said the state government is yet to issue a notification on the category of mayoral posts in all the municipal corporations will be reserved for women or SC candidates or not.
50% posts will go to women: Jakhar
State Congress president Sunil Jakhar on Friday said the cabinet is expected to reserve 50% seats of heads of various urban local bodies for women to enhance active women participation in the electoral politics.
“Mayoral names will be finalised after the government notifies the reservation plan,” said Jakhar.