PunjabENews

Category: Crime

  • FIR registered against IAS officer Babita Kaler, husband in Jalandhar firing case; gunman arrested

    FIR registered against IAS officer Babita Kaler, husband in Jalandhar firing case; gunman arrested

    Jalandhar: An FIR has been registered against senior IAS officer Babita Kaler, her husband and Aam Aadmi Party leader Stephen Kaler, and their gunman in connection with the shooting of a plot owner in the posh Baradari area near PIMS Hospital on Saturday morning. The FIR was lodged late Saturday night at Division Number 7 police station.

    The incident reportedly took place following a dispute over soil dumping between the Kalers and the owners of an adjacent plot.

    During the altercation, gunman Sukhkaran Singh allegedly opened fire, injuring the victim’s brother. The bullet, fired from a government-issued weapon, struck the man in the thigh—entering one leg and exiting through the other. He is currently undergoing treatment at a private hospital.

    Police have arrested the gunman and seized the weapon used in the incident. A letter has also been sent to the department seeking Sukhkaran’s suspension. He will soon be produced in court and taken on remand for interrogation.

    “We will question the gunman to ascertain whether the firing was done under pressure or if there was any immediate threat,” said ADCP Harinder Singh Gill. “Based on the remand interrogation, Babita Kaler and her husband will also be brought into the investigation. If they fail to cooperate, they will be arrested.”

    The case has been registered under various sections, including provisions of the Arms Act. Police said notices will soon be served to both Babita and Stephen Kaler as part of the investigation process.

  • Video of doctor consuming drugs, slapping woman goes viral in Jalandhar; health minister orders probe

    Video of doctor consuming drugs, slapping woman goes viral in Jalandhar; health minister orders probe

    Jalandhar: A video showing a doctor allegedly consuming drugs in Jalandhar’s Dakoha area has gone viral on social media, prompting Punjab Health Minister Dr. Balbir Singh to order an immediate inquiry into the incident.

    Initially believed to be from Dasuha in Hoshiarpur, the video was later confirmed by Punjab Police DSP Balwinder Singh to have originated in Jalandhar.

    The footage shows a doctor grinding a substance with an ATM card and consuming it. When the woman recording the video refuses to stop, the doctor allegedly snatches the phone and switches off the camera.

    Health Minister Dr. Balbir Singh, speaking to the media in Jalandhar on Thursday morning, confirmed that the matter is under investigation. “This issue is being taken seriously. A detailed probe has been initiated and strict action will follow,” he said.

    In a further development, CCTV footage has surfaced showing the same doctor—identified as Dr. Puneet Singh—slapping a woman. He reportedly also works at a private hospital in the city.

    The Health Minister said higher authorities are looking into the matter and reiterated that strong action will be taken.

    The incident has reignited concerns over the drug menace in Punjab, especially among professionals in critical sectors like healthcare.

  • Cash row: Panel links Justice Verma to burnt cash site, seeks impeachment

    Cash row: Panel links Justice Verma to burnt cash site, seeks impeachment

    New Delhi: A three-judge inquiry panel headed by Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice Sheel Nagu has found that Justice Yashwant Verma and his family members had “secret or active control” over the storeroom where a large quantity of half-burnt currency notes was recovered.

    The panel’s findings have led to a recommendation for the judge’s removal from office.

    The inquiry committee, which included Himachal Pradesh High Court Chief Justice G.S. Sandhawalia and Karnataka High Court Justice Anu Sivaraman, examined the matter over 10 days, recorded statements of 55 witnesses, and inspected the site of the incident—Justice Verma’s official residence at 30 Tughlaq Crescent, New Delhi—where the notes were recovered late at night on March 14.

    “The cash/money was found in the store room of 30 Tughlaq Crescent, New Delhi, in the official possession of Justice Verma,” the panel noted in its 64-page report.

    It further said that “access to the store room has been found to be under the secret or active control of Justice Verma and his family members,” and that strong presumptive evidence established that the burnt currency was removed from the premises in the early hours of March 15, 2025.

    The report said the conduct of Justice Verma, as established through direct and electronic evidence, was serious enough to warrant the initiation of impeachment proceedings. It concluded that there was sufficient substance in the allegations raised by the Chief Justice of India in his letter dated March 22.

    Acting on the report, former Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna has written to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, recommending the impeachment of Justice Verma.

    The panel conducted the inquiry in accordance with the in-house procedure laid down for judicial accountability.

  • Second arrest in threats to influencer Deepika Luthra

    Second arrest in threats to influencer Deepika Luthra

    Amritsar: The Commissionerate Police Amritsar has arrested a second person in connection with the threats issued to social media influencer Deepika Luthra.

    The accused, identified as Jaspreet Singh, son of Satwinder Singh and a resident of Dhillon Nagar, Ludhiana, has been taken into custody for allegedly threatening to kill Luthra.

    Earlier, the police had arrested Ramandeep Singh from Patiala in the same case. He is currently on police remand and also faces charges of issuing death threats to the influencer.

    Amritsar Police said that the investigation is ongoing and that strict action will be taken against all those involved.

  • Rajasthan woman, lover kill husband with help of contract killers; son exposes murder plot

    Rajasthan woman, lover kill husband with help of contract killers; son exposes murder plot

    Alwar: In a chilling case from Rajasthan’s Alwar district, a woman allegedly conspired with her lover and four others to murder her husband, police said. The crime came to light after the couple’s nine-year-old son witnessed the murder and alerted the police.

    According to officials, the victim, Veeru Jatav, was strangled to death at his home on the night of June 7. His wife, Anita, had reportedly opened the door to allow the killers in and watched silently as her husband was killed.

    Initially, the family claimed Veeru had died of a heart attack, but the child’s statement and CCTV footage exposed the murder conspiracy.

    Police said Anita had met the prime accused, Kashi, through Instagram. Along with three unidentified contract killers, Kashi and Anita executed the crime.

    Deputy Superintendent of Police Kailash Chand said, “Kashi had allegedly paid Rs 2 lakh to the killers. Anita and Kashi have been arrested, while three accused are still absconding.”

    The incident is reminiscent of the recent murder of Indore resident Raja Raghuvanshi by his wife Sonam. She had allegedly pushed him into a gorge while on a honeymoon in Meghalaya with her lover and three accomplices.

    His decomposed body was recovered on June 2 from a gorge near a waterfall in Sohra, East Khasi Hills district.

  • 17-year-old Youth shot dead in land dispute in Ferozepur; two others injured

    17-year-old Youth shot dead in land dispute in Ferozepur; two others injured

    Ferozepur: A 17-year-old youth was shot dead and two others sustained injuries during a violent clash over a land dispute in Bhago Ke village near Malanwala late Sunday night.

    The deceased has been identified as Karamjit Singh alias Goldy, son of Gurpreet Singh, a resident of Basti Guru Tegh Bahadur Nagar in village Bhagoke.

    According to police, the incident occurred on the intervening night of June 16 and 17 during an argument between Karamjit Singh and Pardeep Singh over the possession of 1.5 marlas of agricultural land. In the midst of the confrontation, Amarjit Singh allegedly opened fire with a pistol, hitting Karamjit Singh and his associates.

    Karamjit Singh, Sandeep Singh (42), son of Nishan Singh, and Gurbir Singh (30), son of Kulwant Singh— all residents of Bhagoke— sustained bullet injuries and were rushed to Civil Hospital, Zira. Doctors declared Karamjit Singh brought dead, while the other two are undergoing treatment.

    Malanwala police reached the spot soon after the incident was reported and have launched an investigation.

  • Youth in Nihang attire chops off neighbour’s wrists, arrested within 24 hours

    Youth in Nihang attire chops off neighbour’s wrists, arrested within 24 hours

    Mandi Gobindgarh: The Mandi Gobindgarh police have arrested a youth identified as Karamveer Singh alias Lovely within 24 hours for allegedly chopping off both the wrists of his neighbour, Yatin Walia, in Master Colony.

    Police said the accused, who had been donning a Nihang bana for the past six months, was booked under sections 147A, 115(2), 118(1), and 109 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The incident occurred on Sunday afternoon when Singh reportedly attacked Yatin Walia, son of Suraj Kumar, outside his residence.

    According to the complaint, Walia was standing outside his house when Singh approached on foot, began hurling abuses, and later attacked him with a sword after a brief altercation. Severely injured, Walia was initially rushed to the local civil hospital but later referred to PGI Chandigarh due to his critical condition.

    Under the supervision of District Superintendent of Police Shubham Agarwal, police teams led by Inspector Manpreet Singh Deol and Assistant SHO Rajinder Singh apprehended the accused.

    Police said that Singh is also under suspicion for allegedly extorting money from people while posing in religious attire. They said that these allegations are being investigated separately.

  • DAY 107 OF ‘YUDH NASHIAN VIRUDH’: 102 DRUG SMUGGLERS HELD WITH 688-GMs HEROIN, RS 26K DRUG MONEY

    DAY 107 OF ‘YUDH NASHIAN VIRUDH’: 102 DRUG SMUGGLERS HELD WITH 688-GMs HEROIN, RS 26K DRUG MONEY

    Punjab News: With the war against drugs “Yudh Nashian Virudh” waged on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to eradicate drug menace from state completed 107 days, Punjab Police on Monday arrested 102 drug smugglers and recovered 688 grams heroin, 105 kg poppy husk, 2164 intoxicant pills and Rs 26910 drug money from their possession. With this, the number of total drug smugglers arrested has reached to 17,749 in just 107 days.

    The operation was conducted on the directions of Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav simultaneously in all 28 Police districts of the state.

    Notably, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann has asked the Commissioners of Police, Deputy Commissioners and Senior Superintendent of Police to make Punjab drug free state. The Punjab government has also constituted a 5-member Cabinet Sub Committee led by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema to monitor the war against drugs.

    Divulging details, Special DGP Law and Order Arpit Shukla informed that over 200 Police teams, comprising over 1400 police personnel, under the supervision of 95 gazetted officers have conducted raids at as many as 479 locations across the state leading to the registration of 76 first information reports (FIRs) across the state. Police teams have also checked as many as 504 suspicious persons during the day-long operation, he added.

    The Special DGP said that with the state government has enforced a three-pronged strategy— Enforcement, Deaddiction and Prevention (EDP)— to eradicate drugs from the state, the Punjab Police as part of ‘De-addiction’ has convinced 55 persons to undergo de-addiction and rehabilitation treatment today.

  • Vigilance Bureau arrests Sanitation Inspector accepting Rs. 15,000 bribe

    Vigilance Bureau arrests Sanitation Inspector accepting Rs. 15,000 bribe

    Fazilka News:  The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB), during its ongoing drive against corruption, arrested Sanitation Inspector Gurbinder Singh, posted at Municipal Council, Jalalabad, district Fazilka for demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs. 15,000.

    Disclosing this here today an official spokesperson of the state VB said the arrest has been made following a complaint lodged by a resident of Jalalabad.
    He further added that the complainant has approached the VB alleging that the accused Inspector had demanded a bribe Rs. 20,000 for clearing the bills pertaining to sanitation works executed by him in the city but the deal has been struck at Rs 15000.
    The spokesperson further informed that after preliminary verification of this complaint, the VB team laid a trap during which the aforementioned accused was apprehended while he was accepting a bribe of Rs 15000 from the complainant in the presence of two official witnesses.
    In this regard a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered against the MC employee at the VB police station, Ferozepur Range. He would be produced in the competent court tomorrow and further investigation into this case was under progress, he said.

  • BBC defends Moosewala documentary in court, next hearing on June 23

    BBC defends Moosewala documentary in court, next hearing on June 23

    Mansa: The BBC on Monday defended its documentary The Killing Call in a Mansa court after late singer Sidhu Moosewala’s family challenged its release. The court has now scheduled the next hearing for June 23.

    Advocate Balwant Singh Bhatia, appearing for the BBC, told the court that the objections raised by Moosewala’s father, Balkaur Singh, were unjustified and without legal merit.

    The dispute arose after Balkaur Singh filed a petition seeking a stay on the documentary’s release. Despite this, the BBC released the two-part documentary on YouTube on June 11 — the singer’s birth anniversary. The release had initially been planned for later that day in Mumbai.

    Advocate Satinderpal Singh Mittal, representing the Moosewala family, said they would file their reply on the next date of hearing.

    Balkaur Singh had rejected the claims made in the documentary even before its release. The documentary features an interview with gangster Goldy Brar, in which he alleges that Moosewala was in contact with gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and used to message him via WhatsApp.