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Tuesday,03-June-2025
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New DGP appointment as per law, says Channi after Sidhu’s assertions

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Shortly after ‘rebel’ Congress leader Navjot Sidhu’s assertions, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Channi on Sunday clarified that the new Director General of Police (DGP) would be appointed as per the law as the state government has forwarded a panel of all senior police officers with 30 years of experience to the Centre.

Channi’s assertion came after Sidhu again demanded the government to rollback its decisions to appoint Advocate General A.P.S. Deol and DGP Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota.

Talking to the media on the sidelines of the state-level function of debt waiver scheme in Morinda town, the Chief Minister said now the state government was awaiting a panel from the Centre regarding three names finalised for the post of the DGP.

“Thereafter, the name of DGP would be finalized after consultation with PPCC President Navjot Sidhu, all Ministers and MLAs,” the Chief Minister said.

He said the state is functioning with dedication, sincerity and honesty and to ensure transparency in its administration would be the top most priority.

He, however, said the organisational work is being looked after by Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee President and a committee has been constituted for better coordination between the government and the party.

Earlier in the day, Sidhu in a tweet said: “Demand for justice in sacrilege cases and for arrest of main culprits behind the drug trade brought our government in 2017 and due to his failure, people removed the last CM (Chief Minister).

“Now, AG/DG appointments rub salt on wounds of victims, they must be replaced or we will have no face.”

In his earlier tweet, Sidhu said DGP Sahota was head of SIT investigating ‘Beadbi’ or sacrilege case under the Badal government and he wrongfully indicted two Sikh youth for sacrilege and gave clean chit to Badals.

Unhappy over the first Cabinet expansion, allocation of portfolios and appointments on crucial posts, including the Advocate General and the DGP, by the Chief Minister, Sidhu last week resigned from his post of state Congress chief.

As his decision pushed the state Congress into deeper crisis, Sidhu, however, maintained that he would not be leaving the party.

Crime

Punjab Police arrest man for sharing sensitive information with Pak on Op Sindoor

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Chandigarh, June 3: Acting swiftly, Punjab Police have arrested Gagandeep Singh of Tarn Taran for sharing sensitive information concerning army movements during Operation Sindoor, Director General of Police Guarav Yadav said on Tuesday.

The accused had been in contact with the Pakistan’s ISI and Khalistani supporter Gopal Singh Chawla.

Investigations have revealed that he was engaged in sharing classified details, including troop deployments and strategic locations, posing a threat to national security, DGP Yadav wrote on the social media platform X.

Preliminary investigation revealed that Singh had been in touch with Pakistan-based Khalistani supporter Chawla for the past five years, through whom he was introduced to the Pakistani intelligence operatives.

He also received payments from operatives via Indian channels, the DGP said.

The police have recovered a mobile phone containing intelligence that Singh shared with Pakistan, as well as details of over 20 ISI contacts.

“Thorough financial and technical investigations are underway to trace other linkages and establish the full scope of this espionage network,” the DGP added.

A first information report (FIR) has been registered under the Official Secrets Act at the police station (city) in Tarn Taran town, and further investigation is in progress.

Earlier, Punjab Police arrested two people, including a 31-year-old woman, for their alleged involvement in espionage activities linked to an official posted at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi.

Those arrested were identified as Gazala and Yameen Mohamad, both residents of Malerkotla in Punjab.

Police teams had recovered two mobile phones from their possession. Their arrest came days after Amritsar (Rural) Police arrested two people, Falaksher Masih and Suraj Masih, for their alleged role in leaking sensitive information and photographs of army cantonment areas and air bases to Pakistan’s intelligence agency.

DGP Yadav had said that the preliminary investigation revealed that the arrested accused had been receiving payments through online transactions in exchange for sharing classified information. They were in frequent contact with the handler and were involved in channelling funds to other local operatives as per his instructions.

Accused Gazala was arrested for leaking sensitive information regarding Indian Army movements to a Pakistan-based handler.

Based on disclosures made by her during interrogation, a second conduit identified as Yameen Mohamad was also identified and taken into custody.

Accused Gazala admitted that she was doing it in lieu of money, and the accused official has sent her Rs 30,000 in two transactions – Rs 10,000 and Rs 20,000 – via UPI.

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Crime

16 Bangladeshis, including 7 minors, apprehended in East Delhi

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crime

New Delhi, June 2: In a drive against Bangladeshis illegally living in Delhi, the city police rounded up 16 persons, including seven children, from the Seemapuri area, an official said on Monday.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara), Prashant Gautam, said the apprehended Bangladeshi nationals revealed that they had crossed into India approximately 18-19 years ago under the cover of darkness.

“They illegally entered India due to extreme poverty and a lack of livelihood opportunities in their native villages, located 40-50 km from the India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal,” he said.

The DCP said the arrests were made by a joint team of the Foreigner Cell and special staff of Shahdara after receiving a tip-off last month.

Those arrested include four men and five women, he said, adding that after entering India they initially stayed in the Cooch Behar area.

DCP Gautam said that from there, they travelled by train to New Delhi in search of better employment opportunities.

“Eventually, they moved to Haryana and began working in the rural areas, particularly at brick kilns, where they were involved in brickmaking,” he said.

These kilns are located away from main villages and residential areas, which allowed them to live in hiding without attracting attention, he said.

“No government agency had conducted any verification or background checks on them during this time. The brick kiln owners, driven by the motive of engaging low-cost labour, employed them without documentation,” he said.

Over time, they settled in the area, raised families, and continued to live and work without legal status or scrutiny, he said.

DCP Gautam said that on May 30, the Foreigner Cell of the Shahdara District received information regarding the presence of illegal Bangladeshi nationals attempting to enter the Seemapuri area.

“The tip-off indicated that a group of individuals was moving across the Uttar Pradesh-Delhi border near Shaheed Nagar,” he said.

The arrests were made by a joint team of Foreigner Cell and Special Staff comprising SI Shaji John, ASI Gajender, ASI Johar, ASI Nazir, Head Constable Arun, Head Constable Siddharth, Head Constable Yoginder, Head Constable Amit, Head Constable Vijay, Head Constable Anuj, Woman Head Constable Geeta, Woman Head Constable Manju, Woman Head Constable Renu and Constable Aman led by Inspector Munish Kumar I/C Special Staff & Foreigner Cell under the supervision of Gurudev Singh, ACP/Operations.

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National News

SC refuses to stay demolitions in Delhi’s Batla House, next hearing in July

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suprim court

New Delhi, June 2: The Supreme Court on Monday did not pass any interim orders on staying the proposed demolitions in the national capital’s Batla House.

A Bench of Justices Sanjay Karol and Satish Chandra Sharma told the residents, who had received 15-day eviction notices and apprehended imminent demolition, that they are free to avail remedies available under the law.

The Justice Karol-led Bench directed that the matter be listed before the regular Bench for hearing in July.

The litigants claimed that they were “genuine residents” and “property owners” of Khasra Nos. 271 and 279 in Batla House. They stated that their homes fall within the area now sought to be demolished on the purported ground of being outside the PM-UDAY Scheme coverage, despite having valid title documents, proof of continuous possession since before 2014, and eligibility under the Recognition of Property Rights Act, 2019.

Any blanket demolition drive initiated without affording affected residents an adequate and meaningful opportunity of being heard would amount to a gross infraction of the principles of natural justice and a direct violation of fundamental rights enshrined under the Constitution of India, said the plea filed through advocate Adeel Ahmed.

Underscoring the need for a fair, humane, and judicious approach before any coercive action is undertaken, the plea stated that applicants have been residing peacefully in the area in question for several decades, forming a stable and law-abiding community.

It added that the 15-day eviction notices were mechanically applied to residents and properties which are neither part of Khasra No. 271 nor identified in any report as being outside the scope of regularisation.

In spite of their legitimate claims, these residents have been denied an opportunity to be heard, and are now at imminent risk of displacement, said the application filed before the top court.

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