More than a week after sealing a de-addiction center operating illegally, the district police on Wednesday arrested four persons, including the center owner, for allegedly thrashing addicts undergoing treatment.
The accused were identified as owner of the center Ajay Kumar, Joginder Singh, Kartar Singh of Shamgarh village in Ludhiana and Mandeep Singh of village Pangliyaan in Ludhiana.
On July 4, the additional deputy commissioner of Moga along with district police and a team of health officials conducted checking at a de-addiction centre in Buttar village in Moga and sealed it claiming it was operating illegally. Around 60 addicts were rescued from the center. Later, an FIR was registered after addicts accused the center’s owner and staff of beating them and claimed that they did not provide them with medicine.
A case was registered under sections 115 (2), 127 (4), 140, 351(3), 318(4), and 61(2) of BNS at Badni Kalan police station against seven persons.
Inspector Gurmail Singh said a de-addiction center functioning in Buttar village was checked and found running illegally. “An addict had recorded a statement with the police claiming that the centre owner along with aides thrashed him.”
The inspector further informed that Gurpreet Singh, who was hired by Ajay Kumar to work in the centre, asked to go back home when he learnt that inmates were being beaten. In a statement Gurpreet claimed the center owner locked him inside and when the health department team raided the facility, the owner fled to Samrala and forced Gurpreet Singh to go along with him. Thereafter Gurpreet was released only after his family paid the accused ₹5,000,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}The inspector further informed that Gurpreet Singh, who was hired by Ajay Kumar to work in the centre, asked to go back home when he learnt that inmates were being beaten. In a statement Gurpreet claimed the center owner locked him inside and when the health department team raided the facility, the owner fled to Samrala and forced Gurpreet Singh to go along with him. Thereafter Gurpreet was released only after his family paid the accused ₹5,000,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}Gurmail Singh that an FIR has been registered under sections 134 and 135 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and police teams are searching for other accused.