Haryana minister orders FIR after complainant skips grievance panel hearing

Hisar: Haryana social justice and empowerment minister Krishan Bedi, who recently took charge as chairman of the district grievances committee in Fatehabad, on Sunday ordered the registration of an FIR against a complainant in a case and directed a fresh SIT probe in another while hearing 13 grievances, eight of which were disposed of on the spot.In a complaint from Ban Mandori village regarding an allegedly illegal school, the complainant failed to appear before the committee. Education department officials informed the minister that the school was found closed during inspection. Taking a stern view, Bedi directed officials to initiate legal action against the complainant for allegedly filing a misleading complaint.The minister ordered a fresh investigation through a special investigation team (SIT) in a complaint filed by Gurpreet Kaur of Fatehabad, who had raised objections to kidnapping charges being included against her husband. Expressing dissatisfaction with the police response, Bedi directed a re-examination of the case.Another key issue before the committee was the Chandpura Tibba feeder dispute. During the hearing, officials informed the minister that villagers were staging a dharna over the matter. Bedi said the issue would be considered only after the protest was withdrawn. Following assurances from local representatives, he constituted a committee under the SDM, Tohana, to work towards a resolution.In another case, residents of Pilimandori alleged that contaminated seepage water was being discharged into a canal. However, Public Health Engineering Department officials informed the committee that water quality tests showed a Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) level of 240, which was within permissible limits. The complaint was subsequently closed.A complaint alleging irregularities in a canal pipeline project at Badopal village also came up for hearing. The matter led to a brief exchange after the complainant declined the minister's suggestion to bring more villagers to verify the progress of the work. Bedi initially ordered the work to be stopped but later directed officials to complete the project expeditiously after intervention by local legislators.The committee also resolved complaints related to electricity infrastructure in Bhuna and low-hanging power lines in Dhani Sanchla village. In another case, a cyber fraud victim recovered Rs 1.91 lakh lost from his bank account and expressed satisfaction with the action taken by authorities.The meeting witnessed the presence of several political leaders, including former Fatehabad MLA Dura Ram, former Ratia MLA Laxman Napa, Congress MLA Balwan Singh Daulatpuria, suspended Congress legislator Jarnail Singh, Haryana Kisan Kalyan Committee chairman Rajpal Beniwal and BJP district president Praveen Joda.