Sarpanch’s husband fakes suicide to grab cousin’s money, booked

HIs wife, sarpanch of Burj Pawat village, Machhiwara, Ludhiana, also facing criminal conspiracy charges for helping him fake his death

Police are hunting for the husband of a Ludhiana village sarpanch who allegedly faked his suicide to grab his cousin’s ₹1 lakh.

Had circulated a fake video suicide note in July, claiming he was jumping into the Sirhind Canal in Ludhiana to end his life due to monetary issues with his cousin and a panchayat member. (HT Photo)

According to the complainant, Joginder Singh, the accused, Joga Singh, was alive and well, but with the conspiracy of his wife, Jasvir Singh, had faked his suicide in July to disappear with his money.

On his complaint, Joga and Jasvir, who is the sarpanch of Burj Pawat village, Machhiwara, Ludhiana, have been booked under Sections 182 (false information, with intent to cause public servant to use his lawful power to the injury of another person), 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 194 (giving or fabricating false evidence with intent to procure conviction of capital offence) of the Indian Penal Code.

Joginder told the police that he had lent his cousin ₹1 lakh, but he was not returning the money. When he pressured Joga for it, he threatened to implicate him in a false case of abetment to suicide.

On July 24, he recorded a suicide video message, claiming that he was going to jump into Sirhind Canal due to monetary issues with Joginder and a panchayat member. He had also claimed that the accused had encroached upon panchayat land and were forcing him to record his statement in their favour in court.

Meanwhile, Jasvir filed a complaint about her husband’s disappearance and shared she had received his suicide video message.

She had claimed that her husband had received ₹3.25 lakh from the sale of some panchayat land in the village. Joginder had borrowed the money and promised to return it in four days. But later, he refused to return the money and started threatening her husband along with a panchayat member.

Sub-inspector Santokh Singh, who is investigating Joginder’s complaint, said an FIR had been lodged against Joga and his sarpanch wife at Machhiwara police station and they will be arrested soon.