Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala, who ruled the princely state of Patiala from 1900 to 1938, was a pioneer of luxury and a prominent figure in Indian cricket. He was the first Indian to own a private jet, a testament to his lavish lifestyle. He also played a significant role in developing cricket in India, leading the Indian team on their first tour to England and captaining his own Patiala XI team.
Authorities in Patiala are investigating allegations that laborers received payments under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme without performing any work in a village in the Nabha sub-division. The complaint was filed by Raj Kumar Kansuha, president of the Democratic MGNREGA Front Punjab, who accused the block development and panchayat officer (BDPO) and additional program officer (APO) of buying votes for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) by paying wages to numerous laborers in Malkon village in April despite no work being done. Kansuha provided details of the total number of laborers who were paid during the imposition of the poll code, claiming that the online attendance of laborers, which should include their onsite pictures, did not comply with the guidelines. He further alleged that some Rural Employment Guarantee Act projects were already completed or nonexistent.
Two out of four cake samples collected after the death of a Patiala girl have been found to be substandard. The samples, collected from India Bakery, contained high levels of an artificial sweetener. The victim’s family had ordered the cake online for her birthday celebration. The police are investigating the case and have arrested several persons. The Punjab Health Minister has ordered a thorough probe into the incident and expressed his condolences to the family.
