Lawmaker Sukhdev Singh Sandhu is accused of breaking law. The Shiromani Akal Dal councillor from Ward 9 here is charged with assaulting an on-duty building inspector on Saturday in full public view.
Victim Harbans Singh was trying to identify and stop illegal construction in the ward, when the councillor is alleged to have attacked him. The inspector now is under treatment at Government Rajindra Hospital here.
The attack on colleague has angered the municipal corporation workers. "At one of the buildings in Preet Nagar, Harbans Singh told the owner to construct further only after the chief vigilance officer had completed the pending inquiry into alleged anomalies," said Municipal Workers Union president Ajaib Singh, adding: "Councillor Sandhu and his men got there at this point to support the owner, and five or six of them bashed up Harbans Singh."
Colleagues moved the injured MC employee to a local private medical centre, from where he was referred to the government hospital. His co-workers have demanded a criminal case against Sandhu and asked the MC House to expel him. They'll be on strike from Monday, if the demands are not met. Doctors have denied access to the victim and the employee union is talking on his behalf.
The incident also suggests illegitimate interference in the working of the civic body. In his defence, councillor Sukhdev Singh Sandhu has said that inspector Harbans Singh was drunken at the time. "He had asked the building's owner for `50,000 as bribe to allow further construction. The owner called me to the spot but by the time I could reach there, the issue was sorted out," he said.
{{/usCountry}}The incident also suggests illegitimate interference in the working of the civic body. In his defence, councillor Sukhdev Singh Sandhu has said that inspector Harbans Singh was drunken at the time. "He had asked the building's owner for `50,000 as bribe to allow further construction. The owner called me to the spot but by the time I could reach there, the issue was sorted out," he said.
{{/usCountry}}The councillor denied that he had assaulted anyone. Municipal commissioner Parminder Singh Gill and mayor Amarinder Bajaj, later, visited the injured inspector in hospital. "Police are doing preliminary investigation, and our response will be based on those findings," said Bajaj. Police have registered no case, so far.