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Ludhiana: Allegations fly thick and fast over rape plaint against Simarjit Bains
With one of the two complainants withdrawing the rape plaint against Lok Insaaf Party chief Simarjeet Singh Bains, his constituency, Atam Nagar, has become a political hot bed. LIP alleges Bains was implicated, his rivals say he has forced the woman to backtrack from the complaint
With one of the two complainants withdrawing the rape plaint against Lok Insaaf Party (LIP) chief Simarjit Singh Bains, his constituency, Atam Nagar, has become a political hot bed with allegations and counter-allegations flying thick and fast.
The woman, while withdrawing her complaint on Thursday, had alleged that Congress leader Kamaljit Karwal and SAD candidate Harish Rai Dhanda had pressured her to file a false complaint.
Following this, the LIP had started campaigns on social media as well as on the ground-level, claiming that false complaints were being lodged against Bains with an aim to tarnish his image ahead of the 2022 assembly elections. The opposition, meanwhile, is accusing the LIP leader of threatening and forcing the complainant to withdraw the case.
SAD candidate Harish Rai Dhanda said, “I feel pity for the second complainant. She has been forced and threatened to withdraw her complaint as even the police failed to take action against Bains. She has levelled allegations against us due to the pressure built by Bains. LIP supporters are trying to create a narrative that both the complaints are false but the allegations in both cases are true and the first complainant is still fighting for justice.”
He added, “I have been campaigning on the development agenda and have never used rape cases to woo voters during my meetings. But we will not rest till Bains is arrested by the police. I have been supporting the first woman so that justice is served to her.”
Congress leader Kamaljit Karwal also maintained he has not used the rape case for political gains. “Bains has tried to clear his name by pressuring the woman to withdraw the complaint and accuse me of blackmail. Bains and that woman should now prove the allegations levelled against me. If Bains is right and the rape complaint submitted by the woman against him was fake, why has he not taken legal action against her for defamation?” said Karwal.
Despite repeated attempts, MLA Bains was not available for comments.
LIP spokesperson Sunny Kainth said, “After the second woman accused Dhanda and Karwal of blackmailing her for submitting a rape complaint against Bains, it is clear that both the complaints are fake and have been submitted to defame Bains ahead of elections. Atam Nagar is the stronghold of Bains as he has won twice from the constituency. The opposition will not be able to defeat him with dirty politics.”
Earlier a close aide of Bains, Karwal had snapped ties with the former during the previous assembly elections and unsuccessfully contested from the seat. Karwal is now the Congress’ halqa in-charge for Atam Nagar while Dhanda has been declared the SAD candidate from the constituency for the upcoming elections.
In July this year, Bains and six others had been also booked by the police after the first complainant, who had been sitting on protest outside the police commissioner’s office for around eight months, moved court. The court had ordered the police to lodge an FIR in the case. Seeking the arrest of Bains, the complainant is still protesting outside the CP office.
