BiggChan

Concrete proof. Good work. Probably won't bother the BBC but the producers and researchers may be interested.

A self proclaimed Narakhdari yet she has the audacity to release Sikh dharmic songs. She has such a strong following amongst Punjabis that although she should be boycotted unfortunately she won't be. Now ever so subtly she can begin to get her Narakhdari message across. Benti to Sikh Channel, never to play her 'dharmik' tracks. I did see some shown in the early days but thankfully this hasn't continued.

Dera Ballan are just trying to create controversy by acting as if they are spokesmen for the whole Ravidass community. What they want is for Sikhs to vocalise discontent and condemn the Ravidass community at large in order to create division by alienating them so they think they have no option but to have a seperate religion. Also, why not open the headquarters at Ballan? They've opted for U.P as they have a large pool of potential followers who can then swamp Punjab. Much credit due to those leaders in the Ravidass community for condemning Dera Ballans actions.

Granted they have substantial followers but its likely they exaggerate their numbers. The large influx of migrant workers and the exodus of indiginous Punjabi Sikhs could possibly lead to a Sikh minority in Punjab. May be this is what the 'powers that be' want. http://www.tribuneindia.com/2010/20100202/punjab.htm#1 Sant Niranjan Dass, disciples return Security beefed up Tribune News Service Jalandhar, February 1 Scores of disciples led by Sant Niranjan Dass, head, Dera Sachkhand Ballan, reached Jalandhar railway station on Monday afternoon after declaring a separate religion -- Ravidass Dharm -- for their community at Seer Gowardhanpur in Banaras. They were given a warm welcome by members of the Ravidass community on reaching here in Begampura Express. Earlier tension prevailed in the city between members of the Samaj Bachao Morcha (SBM) and Ambedkar Sena when the SBM convener objected to the creation of a separate religion for the Ravidass community. At a formal press conference at the Press Club here, SBM convener Gian Chand said the members of the Ravidass community were not bound to accept the decision to create a separate religion taken in Banaras, the birthplace of Guru Ravidass on his birth anniversary. When Ambedkar Sena activists came to know about the SBM press conference, they reached outside the Press Club and started raising slogans against the SBM and in favour of the Ravidass community. At this, the district administration deployed heavy security force, including riot control vehicles, near the Press Club in order to avoid any untoward incident. Later security was also beefed up at Jalandhar city railway station as the Ravidass followers led by Sant Niranjan Dass were about to arrive here from Banaras in Begampura Express. Almost all district police officials led by SSP RK Jaiswal were seen supervising the security arrangements. While the creation of the separate religion Ravidass Dharm was announced at Banaras, the community will also have its own religious book, Amrit Bani Guru Ravidass and a separate symbol, Hari. Ravidassis led by Dera Sachkhand Ballan decided to create a separate religious identity for the community after the Vienna firing incident in which Sant Niranjan Dass was wounded whereas his deputy, Sant Ramanand, was killed in May last year.

Perhaps this is a positive development if beadbi of Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji is prevented. It is a shame that the community now wish to desert the teachings of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji however it is likely that the forces within have been pushing towards this division within the community for a while. Hopefully, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji will be removed with full respect and taken to Sikh Gurudwaras. Is this just something the Dera ballan followers are doing? As the Ravidass community comprises of particular caste, will this new 'faith' be caste exclusive? What are their teachings on how the divine message was recieved by their prophets? Just queries, I'm not planning on joining :D

gho man01, it is hypocritical that you refer to personal attacks when your own responses in this thread are littered with personal remarks. It's amusing how your responses are becoming increasing ever so more aggressive almost like a child throwing a tantrum, so thanks for the entertainment. Bare in mind, merely the links to articles to Mr Sidhu's criminality have been posted on here. None of them have been written by members of this forum. May be you should vent your anger out on the papers. However, being as Mr. Sidhu has been found unamiously guilty of perjury by a jury, they may not find merit in your complaints.

I know many may find what he has done unforgiveable but just out of interest, what would be the procedure if he wanted to reinstate himself in to the Panth. Is it as simple as asking forgiveness for what he has done and appearing before the Akal Takht?

I started the thread by posting the link to the article, it is only courteous that I respond to responses made towards me. I have posted links to many threads over the years. You on the otherhand, joined the forum just to defend this criminal. At no stage has the same link been reposted by me. I have tried to post everything that is on the net. People can reach their own conclusions especially if an appeal is successful. I have no need to be jealous of anything although Mr. Sidhu has got a good head of hair for his age.

"the words... "it is claimed" and "is accused" .. obviously missed you!!!! he faked nothing!! it was accused.. or claimed... but he was NOT found guilty of any of that!!! wow! you really don't have much upstairs hey" I have not missed anything, just merely providing a link to what has been reported as with the original post. May be it is you who needs your eyes checking as this is clearly a concept that has gone way over your head gho man01 (the idea is you read the story, possibly click on the link, then discuss if you wish too). Nobody is saying he has been found guilty of anything but perjury. This is a criminal offence even though you have stated this doesn't concern you as people lie everyday. As mentioned earlier, the information that you are privy to doesn't appear to have been made available to his defence team so as it stands he is a convicted criminal. You may not think this is serious, but many upstanding citizens will agree with the Judge and do think it is serious. These are just parts of the case that have been reported (and that too not by us). This is what happens in the media. Kind of like when you have a documentary called 1984 Sikh Story which is also ill researched but still put out for broadcast. Interesting, but not suprising, you pose questions but never respond to those posed to you. Maybe a clever remark like you do not wish to bring yourself down to our level will follow, or you are respecting privacy or maybe it is the fact that your dear well respected friend has been convicted of lying (quite possibly following an oath on religious scriptures) and this is something you are finding difficult to deal with.

December 16, 2009 SIDHU:INTERPETER ACCUSED OF HELPING TORY CHEAT JUSTICE MADE STUPID MISTAKE ILFORD, ESSEX; BIRMINGHAM. A court interpreter accused of helping a corrupt councillor dodge justice told police he had made a 'stupid mistake' by sending his notes to the politician, a court heard today (Weds). Punjabi-speaking translator Baldev Sidhu, 61, agreed to alter his transcripts of secretly taped conversations for Tory official Suresh Kumar, 44, it is claimed. January 05, 2010 SIDHU: 'WEAK' TRANSLATOR DENIES MISLEADING JURY REDBRIDGE, EAST LONDON; ILFORD, ESSEX; BIRMINGHAM; An interpreter accused of faking translations for a Tory councillor who allegedly solicited a £10,000 bribe defended his language skills today (Tues). Punjabi translator Baldev Sidhu, 61, is said to have altered transcripts of taped conversations to get Suresh Kumar, 44, off the hook. http://www.courtnewsuk.co.uk/online_archive/?courts=33&name=lop

I'm not sure what grounds he will use to appeal his conviction, but if what ghoman01 is saying is true, we will wait and see. He could possibly be appealing his sentence however given that he got eight months probably due to his previous good character, it may not be a wise action as he could have been imprisoned for a lot longer.

Sonia is in the public eye, so her actions, life and work will be discussed in public. Like it or not, this is part and parcel of the career she works in. She stated the programme was her personal journey, even appearing on the Sikh Channel to promote it as such. This was fair enough....but then why was the title 'Sikh Story' attached to it when 'Sonia's Story' would have more than sufficed. If it was a Sikh story as it said on the label, she should have reflected the full spectrum of Sikh opinion and discussed events since 1947 which have led to the manner in which Sikhs have been treated since India gained independence, on 13 April 1978, in 1984 up until the present day. Instead the Sikh opinion was left to an 18 year lad working on a stall, whereas respected lawyer H S Phoolka who has served the Sikh community by fighting the Sikh Holocaust cases tooth and limb for the past 25 years was merely shown planting trees. The time of the programme was not a constraint. What was presented and the manner it was edited was all intentional. Sonia was aware of what was going to be broadcasted as by her own admission on the Sikh channel, she had recieved and viewed the programme prior to it being aired. ghoman01, tensions run high on this subject because Sikhs were and still are being raped, tortured, butchered and killed in India. I agree there is split opinion but without presenting the full story, the matter is being trivialised. The sinister element to the programme was the involvement of self professed Congress Party supporter Mr. Bajwa. This is akin to a story on the Jewish Holocaust having the involvement of a Nazi party member. Sonia can not have been totally naive as to all this. One of the many problems with the programme was that people had such high hopes for it. It was clearly a publicity stunt to attach the Sikh title to it to boost ratings on a Sunday night. The programme has encouraged debate, but not about how the Government at the time orchestrated the widescale holocaust of the Sikhs, how rioters were given electoral lists to target Sikhs, their homes and properties and how the orchestrators of the massacres still walk free. The lasting impression of the show was how a mahapursh was presented as a terrorist. Sonia linked her father to the programme by having him appear in it. She was probably trying to show she came from a wholesome respectable family.....may be even trying to demonstrate her father's 'qualities' for the Court or Probation Services. Being as her father is now convicted of a crime, this is currently not the case. It may be better that initimate details of the case are not discussed until his appeal has been heard although I would be intrigued to know whether he made an affirmation or oath on a Sikh gutka when he lied before the Court. Nobody is trying to tempt fate. We are discussing the conviction of member of the Punjabi community. You are adamant of his innocence and it is a shame that the information that you are privy to wasn't presented to his defence team to prevent his conviction in the first place. If he is acquitted on appeal, then we can discuss the miscarriage of justice.

This is not an issue of me believing anything. I have just provided a link to what has been reported. Here is another link I just found, in which it is stated that the jury failed to reach a verdict on he charge of perverting the course of justice and that he was found guilty of perjury for lying under oath. As the Judge rightly points out, perjury is a serious offence. Therefore the jury were unable to decide in respect of the perverting charge but unanimously found Mr. Sidhu guilty of perjury. Maybe mods can change the title to 'Sonia Deols Father Jailed For Perjury - Jury Unable To Reach Decision On Perverting Course Of Justice'. Regardless, the vastly experienced and well respected Mr. Sidhu ghoman01 speaks of sits in his cell as a convicted criminal until and if an appeal occurs and is sucessful. http://www.london24.com/textonly/story.aspx?brand=RECOnline&category=newsIlford&tBrand=textonly&tCategory=london24&itemid=WeED18%20Jan%202010%2015%3A03%3A09%3A680 Tory 'consumed by ambition' jailed for corruption A corrupt Conservative councillor who demanded £10,000 in bribes was jailed alongside a crooked court interpreter today (Mon). Suresh Kumar, 44, of Eastern Avenue, Newbury Park, was secretly taped soliciting the cash during a meeting with two property developers, claiming it would help him influence the committee in their favour. Punjabi-speaking expert witness Baldev Sidhu, 62, later lied on oath at Kumar's first trial before it subsequently emerged he had booked air tickets through the politician's travel agency. Former councillor Kumar, who was elected to Redbridge Council in 2003, had demanded £10,000 from a property developer who needed planning permission for the development of a block of flats in Green Lane, Goodmayes in November 2004. He later told local Tories they could expect a large payment to top up party coffers. But unknown to him, the businessman and his partner had contacted the News of the World to blow the whistle and the councillor was subsequently caught on tape in an undercover sting. Kumar's first trial collapsed in April 2008 when it emerged that Sidhu, who had been asked to provide transcripts of the taped conversations, had lied in the witness box about the extent of his contacts with the defendant. It later transpired the interpreter had booked tickets to India through Kumar's travel agency. Following a two month retrial at Southwark Crown Court, Kumar was unanimously found guilty of a single count of corruption. He was cleared of a second count, while jurors were unable to reach a decision on a third. Sidhu was found guilty of perjury for lying under oath, again unanimously. The jury was unable to reach a verdict against the two men on a further charge of perverting the course of justice. Following the verdicts, Judge Andrew Goymer jailed Kumar, who he described as "consumed by ambition", for 12 months and Sidhu for eight months. The judge said: "Both the offences of which they have been convicted are serious offences, and they are serious because the real victim of these offences is the public at large in the case of corruption and the administration of justice in the case of perjury. "Corruption has a corrosive effect on public confidence in public institutions such as local government councils, and what I have to say has nothing to do with any recent publicity in respect of political figures, none of which has led to any charges, let alone convictions. "Suresh Kumar was not a minor official working for a council seeking some small advantage to line his own pockets. "He was a councillor in my view well aware of the responsibility he owed to the public to act honestly and with integrity. "There is always public concern that the planning process, which effects the whole community, should be honest, and it should survive and proper scrutiny. "If councillors seek corrupt payments for supporting applications for planning permission, that confidence is eroded. "I bear in mind that on one view, the money was not going into the pocket of the defendant [as it was to have been a contribution to the local Tory party]. "Having seen and heard him in the witness box, I am satisfied that he was an ambitious man, who was consumed by his own ambition. "He no doubt hoped that he would improve his standing within the party by saying he had secured a large donation.' Turning to Sidhu, he said he believed he had been motivated by "loyalty" to Kumar. Kumar denied three counts of corruption alleging he 'did corruptly solicit for himself a fee or reward for assisting in the processing of a planning application' between November 11 and December 12, 2004. He and Sidhu also denied conspiring "together, to do a series of acts, namely altering the transcripts of taped conversations with intent to pervert the course of justice" on or before April 14, last year and deny doing acts intending to pervert the course of justice. Sidhu, of Portland Road, Birmingham, also denied perjury by saying he was on the National Register of Interpreters and for lying about a report he had written for the case and about a witness statement he had made for the case.

"BiggChan, I am slightly confused" Yes, I gathered that from your first post. "You say you are from the legal profession also, and work in the same circles as Mr.Sidhu, yet you start a thread stating 'sonia's father jailed for false translations' This worries me! Surely if you DO hang out at the Magistrates/Crown court you, like me, would have access to the CORRECT information. You would then know that Mr.Sidhu was found guilty of perjury, but NOT of perverting the course of justice" I did not say I worked in the same circles as Mr. Sidhu. He is a translator. I am not. If you care to meet up, you may even recognise me. I do not 'hang out' at Court, I go there to work. 'Hanging out' at Court as you put it does not necessarily mean you have access to the CORRECT information. I did not go down to Southwark Crown Court to hear about this case but shall I take it that you did? Have you actually read any responses on this thread. I told you that I was going on the basis of the media reports. "And finally regards discussing your family, I can choose to discuss whatever or whoever I like. That seems to be the general idea here" I'm going to try and make this as simple as possible for you because you don't seem to understand. This is a public forum. It is likely that a large amount of the members are from the Punjabi community. Baldev Sidhu is a Punjabi. He has been convicted of a crime. This was publicised. The sources referred to him being the father of a public figure. A link to the articles was placed by me on to this forum as not only I but many have done in other cases. Mr Sidhu has been convicted of a crime and is reaping what he sowed. If he is exonerated on appeal, I accept that the News of the World and others were wrong. as it stands, he is GUILTY and is now deemed by any Court and the community at large as a person of bad character.You will have to come to deal with this until his appeal has been heard and maybe in the meantime you can vent your frustration out on the outlets that published the case.

ghoman01 ji, since you addressed your remarks at me I have responded directly to you. A few points I should clarify. You seem to be directing your frustration towards me simply as I am responsible for posting the link to this article on the forum. I have no problem with this, and if it makes you feel better about Mr. Sidhus actions, by all mean please continue to do so. Also there are various other forums on the internet who are discussing this issue therefore you may want to take it upon yourself to respond to the messengers on those sites too. As a fellow member of the legal profession (although not as long as you), I am utterly shocked by Mr. Sidhus actions and hope that if the case is as you say, the Courts will exonerate him. If on the understand it is the truth, he should be condemned not only for his criminality but for bringing the profession and community in to disrepute. If you wish to meet me, I am frequently at Birmingham Magistrates' or Crown Court and am more than willing to discuss this in person (just PM me).I don't think this has topic has too much to do with Sikhi but I can't help making references to his daughter's programme as he did appear in it albeit very briefly. I am aware of with whom Mr. Sidhu fraternises with which may suggest his Indian political inclinations. Furthermore, it seems Sonia didn't really hesitate to consider the full range of Sikh opinion in this programme which could possibly suggest the programme had another angle. Being as you are in the legal profession, I am sure that you read that this section of the forum is for any news articles to be posted, hence I posted it here. Finally, I suggest you don't bring my family in to the equation unless you want yours discussed too.

Bodyscanners are definately the way forward as then there is no excuse to single Sikhs aside to search them. The recent plane bombing attempt in the US involved explosives hidden in underwear. Does this justify searching every air travellers underwear? Media are just scaremongering using Sikhs.

"For those who are not clear about the facts, it is very simple. Sonia's father, Baldev Sidhu was CLEARED of perverting the course of justice. That means he was NOT GUILTY of faking any translations" Please enlighten me as to the facts of the case ghoman01 ji. I have gone on the basis of the information available to hand. May be you can present a more balanced account than what the media have published. Will Mr Sidhu be pursuing libel proceedings? I feel ashamed if I have posted links to reports of false allegations. It would be the same as if I had presented a programme on the events of 1984 and then used that platform to present a totally unbalanced account on what took place and did nindiya of a respected sant. "Big Chan can I no start a thread calling you a Robber, a cheat????" ghoman01 ji, you can start a thread calling me whatever you like. In fact, when I was around 4 years old, I picked up a sweet from the supermarket pick n mix and ate it without paying. I knew this would come out one day. "Mr.Sidhu was found guilty of perjury. That means that during the earlier trial of Mr.Kumar, Mr.Sidhu when asked said he was on the National Register Of Interpreters when in actual fact his membership had expired three months before, but he didn't realise because he has not seen the reminder letter. When you are on court, this is not seen as an error it is seen as perjury." If this is in fact the case and it is an 'oversight' as you are claiming, it is still a criminal offence for which he was found guilty by a jury. Are there any other cases in which he has translated whilst his membership expired? This may be grounds of appeal if the translations were conducted by an uncertified translator. Thanks for bringing this issue to light ghoman01 ji. "It was the prosecution and the News of The World reporter Mazher Mahmood who were trying to SUGGEST that Mr.Sidhu had helped and faked the translations of these secret recordings, but the judge and jury CLEARED MR.SIDHU OF THIS CHARGE!! Now use your head, do you think the News of The World will print this?? and make themselves look daft??? THINK!" If he hasn't already considered it, may be you should book a prison visit and advise Mr. Sidhu about the libel laws of the U.K. He could make a nice little earner if what your saying is true. "Mr.Sidhu during the earlier trial when he was there as a witness said he knew kumar cos his family had bought tickets from his travel agency, all above board. Mr.Sidhu told the truth, but the prosecution stopped the case and decided they were now gonna chase Mr.Sidhu too. So in effect, him telling the truth was now being used against him." Clearly a conflict of interest if he knew the defendant from previous dealings. An experienced professional such as Mr. Sidhu should have known better. On another note, asda travel have got good deals on tickets. "Only judge someone if you know everything." Fair comment. I'll take this advice if I ever get the chance to make a documentary on 1984 too. "We wish you luck in your appeal and believe justice will be done." On the basis of what you have said, an appeal on conviction will most definately not be successful because like it or not he has broken the law. An appeal on sentence may be....I'm sure his legal team are on it.

In the documentary (sorry I mean personal journey), she did refer to her father as her 'rock' so it would only be natural to assume she wanted to protect herself and her father from obvious references people would make about his bad character possibly having influenced her upbringing. Therefore it is quite possible that she deleted the page to tactically deflect attention off herself and her father.

It might not have obtained as many responses but I still would have posted it albeit with a different title. The case has more implications than just Mr. Sidhu being Sonia's father. This was not the only Punjabi language case in which he has translated. The community has a right to be made aware just in case a miscarriage of justice has taken place on the basis of his translations in any other case.

Point taken matheen although one could argue that misfortune is something that an individual can not control whereas it appears Mr. Sidhu seems to have voluntarily and with full knowledge committed the crime for which he has been convicted.

I think the outcome of this case should also bring into question the translation services Mr. Sidhu has provided in any other cases especially being as he was a regular at the Birmingham Courts.

Trial has been reported a while back on the BBC although for some strange reason <_< I can't find any reference to Sidhu on their site. Some more details from the trial (all in the course of thorough research)...... Ex-councillor Suresh Kumar on trial for corruption 26 November 2009 A former Conservative councillor convinced an expert witness to alter evidence against him while on trial for corruptly demanding £10,000 in bribes, a court heard today. Suresh Kumar, 44, of Eastern Avenue, Newbury Park, enlisted the help of Punjabi-speaking interpreter Baldev Sidhu, 61, to change transcripts of secretly taped conversations during the trial last year, jurors heard. Kumar, who was elected to Redbridge Council in 2003, had allegedly demanded £10,000 from property developers who needed planning permission. Southwark Crown Court heard Kumar asked one of the men to join the local Conservative association having just demanded the first payoff in November 2004. Kumar later told members of the local Conservative association there was a "possibility of a £10,000 donation" to top up the party coffers, it was said. Jurors heard during Kumar's bribery trial he enlisted the help of Sidhu, an expert defence witness, to alter the evidence against him. Kumar is now facing a string of corruption charges relating to his alleged cash demands. He and Sidhu are also accused of conspiring to pervert the course of justice and doing acts intended to pervert the course of justice. Sidhu is also accused of perjury for lying under oath when he said he was on the National Register of Interpreters. Prosecutor Thomas Kark told the court: "This case is about dishonesty, about bribery, about perverting the proper course of justice and lying in court. "The first part concerns allegations of corruption against Suresh Kumar and they arise when he was a Conservative councillor in Redbridge in 2004. "The second part of the case arises subsequently when in 2008 Mr Kumar was tried at the this very court and he called Mr Sidhu as an expert interpreter of some secretly taped conversations which had taken place in the language of Punjabi. "It became apparent during Mr Sidhu's evidence that he was telling lies about a number of facts including the circumstances in which his expert reports had come to be written." Mr Kark said the costly jury trial then had to be abandoned. Jurors heard Jasbir Bhogal and Rajwinder Rana were seeking planning permission to turn a derelict petrol station in Green Lane, Goodmayes, into flats when they approached Kumar back in 2004. Kumar was sitting on the regulatory committee and tried to persuade Mr Bhogal, who had helped him during his election to pay up, it is said. Mr Kark said Mr Kumar ignored the "councillors' code of conduct" by asking for the money. Kumar denies three counts of corruption alleging he "did corruptly solicit for himself a fee or reward for assisting in the processing of a planning application" between November 11 and December 12, 2004. He and Sidhu, of Portland Road, Birmingham, both deny conspiring "together, to do a series of acts, namely altering the transcripts of taped conversations with intent to pervert the course of justice" on or before April 14, last year and deny doing acts intending to pervert the course of justice. Sidhu alone further denies once charge of perjury by saying he was on the National Register of Interpreters and for lying about a report he had written for the case and about a witness statement he had made for the case. The trial continues. http://www.ilfordrecorder.co.uk/content/redbridge/recorder/news/story.aspx?brand=RECOnline&category=newsIlford&tBrand=northlondon24&tCategory=newsilford&itemid=WeED26%20Nov%202009%2014%3A43%3A41%3A610

Strange the BBC haven't reported this.

Redbridge News A former Redbridge councillor has been jailed after he was caught red-handed demanding £10,000 to influence planning decisions 3:38pm Tuesday 19th January 2010 By James Ranger » A DISGRACED former councillor who asked for £10,000 in bribes to influence planning decisions has been jailed after a two month trial. Suresh Kumar, of Eastern Avenue, Newbury Park, was found guilty of corruption at Southwark Crown Court on Monday (January 19), after it was found he demanded cash from two property developers to ensure planning permission was given to a block of flats. However, the men contacted a national newspaper which arranged for secret filming to take place as as part of a sting on his corrupt practises. The jury at Southwark Crown Court was shown video footage of Mr Kumar, 44, meeting the developers and saying that he could influence the council if he was paid. He was sentenced to 12 months in prison and disqualified from holding a public office for five years. In November 2004, Mr Kumar demanded the cash in exchange for which he said he would influence the council to give the go ahead for an apartment block in Green Lane, Goodmayes. An early corruption trial collapsed in April 2008 after it emerged a translator, Baldev Sidhu, 62, had bought tickets from Mr Kumar travel company. Punjabi-speaking translator Sidhu, of Portland Road, Birmingham, was jailed for eight months after being found guilty of lying under oath during the earlier trial. Mr Kumar, who was a member of the Conservative group until he was suspended following media coverage of the allegations, was elected to Redbridge Council in 2003. He later became a member of the regulatory committee, which seeks to resolve contentious planning disputes. Mr Kumar stood for election again in 2006 as independent candidate, but without success. He was cleared of a second count of corruption, which jurors could not reach a decision on a third. http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/rbnews/4859273.REDBRIDGE__Disgraced_former_councillor_jailed_for___10k_corruption/ LOL. Maybe the translation was his own personal story instead of what was on the tapes.

Sonial Deol's (Jaswinder Sidhu) father:- BUNGED UP! News of the World's fake sheikh catches his 250th villain By Neville Thurlbeck, 24/01/2010 A CORRUPT councillor has become the 250TH crook jailed thanks to News of the World journalist Mazher Mahmood. Our unflinching Investigations Editor snared lowlife villain Suresh Kumar when he demanded a £10,000 bung to pass a planning application. The 44-year-old Tory was found guilty of corruption and caged for 12 months - plus banned from holding any public office for five years - on Monday. Passing sentence, the judge at Southwark Crown Court, South London, said: "He was consumed by his own ambition." Also jailed was court interpreter Baldev Sidhu, 62, who caused Kumar's first trial to collapse when he made a FALSE translation of the crook's Punjabi conversations on our secret tapes. Sidhu - the dad of BBC Breakfast presenter Sonia Deol - was sentenced to eight months in jail. Last night a police spokesman said: "We are extremely grateful to the News of the World for bringing this matter to light and providing us with essential evidence. "Kumar was involved in serious corruption and would not have not been brought to justice if it were not for your work." To trap him, our man Mazher - who has famously posed as a fake sheikh to dupe many of his targets - pretended to be a business partner of two property developers facing illegal bribe demands. Power Kumar, a member of Redbridge Council, Essex, repeated his demands for money to Mazher in a meeting, and crowed: "Brother, the power is in my hands. "The council is my own, the people are mine." His and Sidhu's jailings were the latest victories for Mazher, who has caught hundreds of criminals in the last 18 years - from immigrant racketeers and drug dealers to bent cops and corrupt solicitors. His extraordinary haul is almost enough to fill Dorchester prison, Dorset, which has a capacity of 252. Mazher said: "It has been very rewarding to bring so many crooks to justice - and I am determined to catch even more." The businessmen who were told by Kumar to pay up if they wanted their block of flats to get the go-ahead, expressed their gratitude. Jasbir Bhogal and Raj- winder Rana said: "Kumar made blatant and repeated demands for cash followed by threats. "We knew the News of the World would be the right place to go to expose this man, to shame him and get us justice." http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/news/695941/BUNGED-UP-Fake-sheikh-Mazher-Mahmood-gets-250th-villain-Suresh-Kumar.html