Punjab: Two shooters, 5 others arrested in AAP sarpanch murder case
Chandigarh (PTI): Punjab Police on Monday said it has arrested two shooters and five other accused in the murder case of an AAP sarpanch who was killed at a wedding in Amritsar on January 4.
The two shooters -- Sukhraj Singh alias Ganga from Patti in Tarn Taran district and Karamjit Singh from Gurdaspur district -- were arrested from Raipur in Chhattisgarh on Sunday in coordination with the local police and central agencies, Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav told reporters here.
The two were produced before a court in Raipur and taken into custody after obtaining transit remand. They are being brought to Amritsar for further investigation, he said.
The other five arrested accused, who were part of the support and logistical module, were arrested from Punjab, the DGP said.
Jharmal Singh, sarpanch of Valthoa village in Tarn Taran, was shot dead at the wedding at point-blank range.
CCTV footage showed the two shooters walking into the wedding venue, one of them pulling out a gun and firing at Singh's head before fleeing the spot. Singh was rushed to a hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries.
Soon after the incident, the AAP government drew flak from the opposition over alleged deteriorating law and order in Punjab, with the BJP demanding Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's resignation.
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SC slams freebies culture, says states should open avenues for employment
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Thursday slammed the freebies culture, saying it was high time to revisit such policies that hamper the country's economic development.
Taking note of the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Ltd's plea, which proposed to provide free electricity to all irrespective of financial status of consumers, the top court said it was quite understandable if states hand-hold the poor.
“Most of the states in the country are revenue deficit states and yet they are offering such freebies” overlooking development, a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi said.
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The bench said economic development of the nation gets hampered with this kind of largesse distribution and states should work to open avenues for employment instead of giving free food, cycles, electricity to all.
The top court, however, issued notice to Centre and others on the plea of the DMK government-led power distribution firm which proposes to provide free electricity.
The power firm has challenged a rule of the Electricity Amendment Rules, 2024.
“What kind of culture are we developing in India? It is understandable that as part of the welfare measure you want to provide to those who are incapable of pay the electricity charges,” the bench asked.
“But without drawing a distinction between those who can afford and those who cannot, you start distributing. Will it not amount to an appeasing policy,” the CJI asked.
The bench asked as to why the Tamil Nadu firm suddenly decided to loosen the purse strings after the electricity tariff was notified.
“The states should work to open avenues for employment. If you start giving free food from morning to evening then free cycle, then free electricity then who will work and then what will happen to the work culture,” the CJI said.
The bench said states, instead of spending on development projects, do two jobs - paying salaries and distributing such largesse.
