Ludhiana: Third accused told to join probe in ex-armyman’s kidnapping case

The accused, Sarbjit Singh of Kullewal village, has secured anticipatory bail from the Punjab and Haryana high court, due to which he has not been arrested in the ex-armyman’s kidnapping case

Four months after a former armyman was kidnapped and assaulted, a third accused in the case has been told to join investigations.

Two of the accused are already in Ludhiana police custody in the former armyman’s kidnapping case. (HT Photo)

The accused, Sarbjit Singh of Kullewal village, has secured anticipatory bail from the Punjab and Haryana high court, due to which he has not been arrested.

Two of his accomplices, Karnail Singh and Sandeep Singh, are already in police custody.

Sub-inspector (SI) Joginder Singh, the investigating officer, said the victim Baljit Singh, 67, of Utala village of Samrala, had registered an FIR against Sarabjit, his two brothers Karamjit and Karnail, and aide Palwinder Singh for assaulting, kidnapping and keeping him in confinement on October 4, 2021 over a land dispute.

Baljit said he had rented out his land to the accused for agriculture purposes in 2016. He added that from 2020, the accused stopped paying the rent.

The victim said he had worked out an agreement with the accused over payment of the due rent. But later, he caught them dishonouring the agreement. When he confronted them, the accused kidnapped him in a car and assaulted him in confinement.

Two hours after kidnapping him, they left him on a road and fled.

The SI added that a case under Sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 325 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt), 364 (kidnapping), 342 (wrongful confinement), 379 (theft), 506 (criminal intimidation), 148 (rioting armed with deadly weapon) and 149 (unlawful assembly) of the Indian Penal Code was registered against the accused at Samrala police station.