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Congress MLA Sukhpal Khaira booked for intimidating Bholath SDM
SDM Sanjeev Sharma had written to the Punjab chief secretary twice, complaining about Khaira’s alleged unruly behaviour during his visits to the SDM office on March 29 and April 10
Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira was on Thursday booked for allegedly misbehaving with the Bholath sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) on two occasions in March and April.
SDM Sanjeev Sharma had written to the Punjab chief secretary twice, complaining about Khaira’s alleged unruly behaviour during his visits to the SDM office on March 29 and April 10.
The case was registered under Sections 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public function), 189 (threat of injury to public servant), 342 (wrongful confinement), 500 (defamation) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code at the Bholath police station.
Five unidentified people were also booked in the case.
In his complaints, SDM Sharma alleged that on March 29 MLA Khaira, along with his supporters, laid siege to his office and tried to harangue him while going live on Facebook, asking unwarranted questions just to humiliate and demean him.
The government official further alleged that Khaira threatened him in a bullying and intimidating manner, which raised apprehensions of danger to his life and limb.
“On April 10, accompanied by his supporters, Khaira held a protest outside his office allegedly due to non-disbursement of compensation for damaged crop due to unfavourable weather conditions. The dharna turned out to be an exercise of a cheap publicity stunt and likely to unleash an atmosphere of threat, intimidation and bullying at SDM office,” the FIR said.
Taking serious note of the SDM’s complaint, the chief secretary office wrote to the Punjab DGP on April 26 for further necessary action as per the law.
“The officer has been prevented from discharging his duties by laying siege to his office. There is danger to the officer’s life and limb from Khaira as he was being continuously threatened,” the chief secretary’s communication to the DGP stated, while also seeking an action-taken report.
The DGP forwarded the complaint to Jalandhar DIG Swapan Sharma, following which a case was registered.
Reacting sharply to the FIR, Khaira said he won’t be intimated or cowed down by the “false FIRs”, and will continue to oppose the “anti-Punjab and anti-Sikh” actions of the Bhagawant Mann-led Punjab government.
He claimed that he never threatened or in any manner intimidated the SDM. He said the March 29 protest was organised against the “unconstitutional and illegal” laying of foundation stones by the defeated AAP candidate.
“Since the SDM was absent from his office, I made a telephone call to him, which is part of the video posted on my Facebook account. I neither used any derogatory word nor intimidated the SDM,” Khaira claimed.
“The lightning speed of the correspondence by the chief secretary, DGP, DIG, SSP, DSP and SHO, resulting in the FIR, exhibits sheer vendetta against me by the CM, who is misusing official machinery of the state,” Khaira said.
Meanwhile, reacting to the FIR, Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu tweeted: “In a democracy freedom of speech and right to protest are essential for a healthy opposition… @AamAadmiParty resorting to dictatorial methods and using intimidation as a tool to suppress the voice of those who oppose them…….. Action against @SukhpalKhaira for raising his voice for compensation demands of the farmers for damaged wheat loss ??.”
