Chandigarh: Advocate who fired at landlady sent to judicial custody

Chaddha, an advocate practising in the Punjab and Haryana high court, was arrested from the spot after he fired from the double-barrel pellet gun from the balcony of the Sector 42 apartment where he had been staying

A local court on Sunday sent the advocate, who opened fire at his landlady, leaving her injured in Sector 42 on Saturday evening, to judicial custody. Meanwhile, investigators said the accused, JS Chaddha (67), had used a pellet gun. Had it been a rifle or shotgun firing a higher-calibre round, the victim might have not survived the shot which was fired at close range, officials said.

Used pellet gun to injure 57-year-old, say investigators. (HT File)

Chaddha, an advocate practising in the Punjab and Haryana high court, was arrested from the spot after he fired from the double-barrel pellet gun from the balcony of the Sector 42 apartment where he had been staying. He was overpowered by cops and arrested while he was trying to fire a second shot at 57-year-old Manjinder Kaur of Sector 19 who had reached there along with a team of policemen and court officials to take possession of her Sector 42-C flat after a 13-year long legal battle.

A senior cop privy to the investigation said the accused had used a pellet gun with a 0.12-bore pellet as officials attempted to execute the court-ordered eviction. The pellet was fired at close range and struck a wall, causing splinters that injured Kaur’s mouth and face. “Had a rifle or shotgun with a higher calibre bullet been used from such close range while aimed at her head, it would have been difficult for the victim to survive,” investigators said.

Even though a pellet gun was used, police said it was still a licensed firearm, and the case would be tried under the Arms Act and for attempted murder, which carries the same penalty.