Court refuses to cancel FIR of attack on AAP’s Gandhi, police red-faced

Gandhi, who has since rebelled from the AAP and remains suspended from the party, had alleged that the police were trying to help the accused get away as they are aides of cabinet minister Surjit Singh Rakhra of Akali Dal.

The Punjab police were left red-faced on Saturday after a court in Patiala rejected the application for cancellation of the FIR into the attack on MP Dr Dharamvira Gandhi of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on the day of polling for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Judicial magistrate MS Kamal Varinder ordered a re-investigation, thus, against the accused including municipal councillor Rajinder Singh Virk of the state’s ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD).

MP Dr Dharamvira Gandhi. (HT File Photo)

Gandhi, who happens to have since rebelled from the AAP and remains suspended from the party, had alleged that the police were trying to help the accused get away at the behest of cabinet minister Surjit Singh Rakhra of the Akali Dal.

The cancellation plea fell flat after Gandhi’s personal security officer (PSO), head constable Gurmeet Singh of the state police force, who is the main complainant in the case, refused to agree with it. He also disagreed with the probe so far that gave the clean chit to the accused. The detailed order was awaited.

The case had earlier been placed for disposal before a lok adalat on September 9. But Gandhi’s PSO did not appear even as police were aiming for a settlement. He was therefore summoned by the local court on Saturday.