Latest news with #Charanjit
Time of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Cell-ebrity singers debut, locked up lyrics set free: Inmates find new hope through music initiative in Ludhiana central jail.
Ludhiana: Creative freedom is born behind bars and redemption rides a rhythmic trail. Two men serving 25-year sentences for rape in the Central Jail of this Punjab city have released a song on YouTube as part of a rehabilitation initiative that aims to give inmates a second chance through music. On Friday, as India marked Independence Day, Yogesh, 32, and Charanjit Singh, 39, saw their first song, Baapu (Father), launched online under a project titled 'Voice Behind Bars'. Written by Yogesh and sung by Charanjit, the track was recorded inside jail with support from Chandigarh-based NGO Welba Foundation. The Punjabi song reflects on a son's memories of his father, recalling birthdays, childhood moments and the emotional bond they shared. The foundation has also given the men copyrights to their work, with proceeds earmarked for their families. The initiative seeks to provide inmates with a sustainable source of income while offering an outlet for their emotions. Yogesh, a former photographer, said he had always written lyrics but never had a platform. "When the NGO asked about our passions, I was overjoyed. I chose to write about my father and the friendship I cherished with him," he said. Charanjit, who once sang at religious events, added: "This is my first song on YouTube. Yogesh and I hope to pursue music once we complete our sentences." Welba Foundation director Parikshit Bansal said the project was designed to help convicts reintegrate into society. "The word 'Welba' comes from 'Welcome Back'. Music allows inmates to release emotions and build a positive vision of life. Our aim is to deter them from returning to crime," he said. Bansal noted that earlier songs released on Republic Day had relied on external composition, but the new release features music created by inmates themselves. They are provided with instruments and training inside the jail to develop skills in composition, sound engineering and editing. The superintendent of Ludhiana Central Jail, Kulwant Singh Sidhu, said the initiative was gaining traction. "Inmates are channelling their energy in a positive way. We are encouraging more prisoners with even a little interest in music to join," he said. MSID:: 123334817 413 | Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Time of India
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
No govt job, national athlete sells sugarcane juice in Fazilka
Fazilka: Lack of funds and govt support have forced a national-level athlete to sell sugarcane juice on the streets of Fazilka to earn his daily livelihood. Medals adorning his cart stationed outside the mini-secretariat, Deepak, 22, philosophically says he is now tasting the lows after scaling new highs — from winning 16 medals at state-level athletic championship to turning a vendor. "Even after running from pillar to post in search of a govt job in the sport category, I did not succeed. My patience was dashed to the ground. I purposefully chose the mini-secretariat site for my cart to expose the failure of govt policies to back sportspersons in getting a respectable job," said the resident of Sabuana village in Fazilka. His father Charanjit, standing next to his son, said that he backed him to participate in all events, but lack of govt support in getting a job brought disappointment. "My illness too did not help. He had to do something for the family," Charanjit said. Narrating his achievements, Charanjit said Deepak was the runner-up in the 8 km under-20 boys' category during the 56th National Cross Country Athletic Championship held in Nagaland in March 2022. He secured second position in the 6-km cross country race during the 66th National School Athletic Championship in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, in June 2023. In the state-level championships organised by the Punjab Athletics Association, he won the 3,000-metre race held in Sangrur in 2022. He secured first positions in the 8 km (under-20) category in Sangrur in 2024, 5000-m race in Sangrur in 2022, and the 6 km (under-18) cross country race held in Mohali in 2021. However, Charanjit has not lost hope for his son. "Chief minister Bhagwant Mann is doing a great job in reviving the sports culture in the state, but we are yet to receive any help from the state govt," he said, adding that Deepak would not be selling sugarcane juice if his son got some support. MSID:: 121756305 413 |
Indian Express
06-05-2025
- Indian Express
‘Illegal immigration on rise': Punjab and Haryana HC upholds conviction of 74-year-old Bathinda woman in fraud case
The Punjab and Haryana High Court recently upheld the conviction of a 74-year-old woman in a 25-year-old immigration fraud case, in which two men were duped of Rs 15 lakh under the pretext of being sent to Canada. Affirming the conviction, Justice Jasjit Singh Bedi reduced the sentence of the accused, Charanjit Kaur, from two years of rigorous imprisonment to one year of simple imprisonment, citing her age and the delay in trial. The case dates back to 1999 when Pritpal Singh and Jagjit Singh paid Rs 15 lakh to Charanjit, a native of Bathinda, through her relative and co-accused Gurlabh Kaur, after being promised Canadian visas. The complainants alleged they were made to wait in Bombay for 36 days with repeated assurances before being abandoned. When the accused failed to return the money, a case was registered in Bathinda in June 2000. A Phul court convicted both women in 2008 under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 420 (cheating) and 120B (criminal conspiracy), sentencing them to two years of rigorous imprisonment. The conviction was upheld by a Bathinda sessions court in 2009. Charanjit then filed a revision petition, which remained pending for over 15 years and was finally heard last month. Dismissing the petition, Justice Bedi said the testimonies of the complainants were 'convincing and consistent', and dismissed the defence's argument that the liability was civil in nature. 'It stands fully proved that the accused…defrauded an amount of Rs 15 lakh by making a false representation,' the court noted. The judge also rejected arguments regarding delay in registering the First Information Report (FIR) and lack of documentary evidence, observing that 'defect in the investigation by itself cannot be a ground for acquittal', quoting a 2010 Supreme Court ruling in C Muniappan versus the State of Tamil Nadu. While modifying the sentence, Justice Bedi imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh per charge—totalling Rs 3 lakh—to be paid to the complainants as compensation. 'Such offences of attempted illegal immigration are on the rise… Undue sympathy must not be shown,' the judge observed. Gurlabh, the co-accused, was granted relief in a separate petition after she paid Rs 5 lakh each to the complainants.
Time of India
05-05-2025
- Time of India
Mother-daughter duo arrested with 17.6 kg of hashish in Haryana's Fatehabad district
Hisar: In a major crackdown on narcotics in Haryana's Fatehabad district, Tohana police arrested a mother-daughter duo with 17.6 kilograms of hashish during a search operation in Baba Boota Basti. The arrested women have been identified as Harpal Kaur and her daughter Charanjit, both residents of Tohana in Fatehabad district. The authorities estimate the seized contraband to be worth approximately Rs 25 lakh in the illicit market. According to DSP Umed Singh, a team from Tohana City police station launched a search operation following a tip-off that the women were running a drug racket from their residence. During the raid, police recovered the hashish concealed in the house. Preliminary investigations revealed that the women allegedly called customers to their home to sell the drugs. Further inquiries revealed a deeper criminal background within the family. Harpal Kaur's husband, Joginder, faces 22 criminal cases, while their son, Kuldeep, has 13 cases registered against him. Both men are currently in jail. Following their imprisonment, Harpal and her daughter reportedly took over the drug business. A case was registered against the two women under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. The police said further investigation was underway to trace the source of the hashish. MSID:: 120903339 413 |
