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Criminal case against two SAD workers triggers outage in Dakha
SAD worker shot at by Congress leader charged with house trespass, Ayali calls it Congress’ attempt to negotiate a compromise
A criminal case against two Akali workers in Dakha snowballed into a controversy after Dakha MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali accused the Congress of indulging in ‘vendetta politics’ and implicating Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) workers in a false case to pressure them into withdrawing charges against Congress leader Daljit Singh Bhola Grewal.
Ayali said a SAD worker, Gurpreet Singh Gopi , who was shot during the bypolls by Grewal on October 23 had been named in a criminal house trespass and assault case by the Mullapur Police.
The naming of two SAD workers in the FIR triggered outrage among residents. Tossing social distancing norms, a large crowd gathered in support of the SAD workers.
COMPLAINANT SAYS SHE DOES NOT RECOGNISE ACCUSED
The complainant, Sukhdarshan Kaur of Jangpur, said she did not recognise the accused - Jasdeep Singh Jassa or Akali worker Gurpreet Singh Gopi - nor had she named them in the complaint.
However, Ludhiana rural district police chief Viveksheel Soni said the complainant had submitted the nicknames of the accused in her complaint and also signed the statement.
PROBE LAUNCHED
“Now, the complainant has retracted her statement. The matter is being probed,” said Soni. Dakha seputy superintendent of police Gurbans Singh Bains has been charged with the investigation.
Ayali alleged that the case was concocted by station house officer (SHO) Prem Singh. He accused the police of working at the behest of the Congress government.
“Nearly nine months have passed but no headway has been made in the case against Grewal for shooting Gopi on the thigh while the worker tried to stop the leader from capturing the booth. Police are using cheap tactics so that Gurpreet withdraws his complaint,” said Grewal.
