E-Paper
Ludhiana: Three accused of cheating during 2018 sarpanch elections held
BDPO among 12 manipulate name of grandfather of a sarpanch candidate in a cover up; an FIR was lodged against the accused in Khanna for cheating
Sadar Khanna police arrested three nambardars in a case involving 12 officials colluding against the election of a Rasulpura village sarpanch during 2018 panchayat elections.
At least 12 people, including block development and panchayat officer (BDPO), sarpanch, panchayat secretary, panchayats members and nambardars, in a collusion, had rejected nomination of a sarpanch candidate during panchayat elections in 2018 using a fake report. After their lies surfaced, the accused faked another report and changed the name of the grandfather of the candidate in the record to justify their act.
After investigating the matter for over three months the police arrested three nambardars – including Sher Singh, Rajinder Singh and Charan Singh, and made them join the investigation. In September 2023, the accused were booked for forging documents and cheating.
The other accused who were booked by the Sadar Khanna police are Block Khanna BDPO Dhanwant Singh Randhawa, secretary gram panchayat Gurmeet Singh , sarpanch of village Rasulra Gurdeep Singh, former sarpanch Pal Singh, panchayat member – Balvir Singh, Pal Singh, Pardeep Singh, Jasbir Singh – and block samiti member Kulwinder Singh.
The FIR was lodged following the statement of Jasvir Singh of Rasulpura village , who is a transporter.
Jasvir Singh stated he had filed his nomination for sarpanch of Rasulra village on December 19, 2018. On the next day the authorities rejected his nomination stating that a tax amount is due against him. However, he had included the receipt of the tax with the nomination papers. Later, Gurdeep Singh was elected the sarpanch unopposed.
He took up the matter and filed an application under Right to Information (RTI) Act, but the officials did not pass any information. He then approached the Punjab Information Commission.
Anuradha, a superintendent at BDPO office, had admitted before the commission that no due is pending against him.
To save their skin the officials had changed name of his grandfather Ajmer Singh in the record and claimed that a due was pending against Ajmer Singh.
Jasvir Singh added that when he investigated on his own, he found that the accused had mentioned the name of his grandfather as Ajmer Singh S/O of Gulli alias Bullia, while the real name of his grandfather was Ajmer Singh S/O Inder Singh. He had filed a complaint to police with a copy of Aadhaar card, PAN card, bank passbook and other documents of his grandfather. The inquiry was marked to deputy superintendent of police (DSP, NDPS) Ludhiana Rural, Paramjeet Singh.
After investigation, the Sadar Khanna police lodged an FIR under Sections 420, 465, 468, 471, 201 and Section 166 A of the Indian Penal Code against the accused. The DSP added that following the court orders the accused had joined the investigation.
The complainant alleged that the police were reluctant in arresting the accused and gave them ample time to avail bail from the court.
