Abohar murder case: Cops file challan against Shiv Lal Doda

Victim Bhim Sain’s mother had threatened to hold a dharna in front of the CM’s residence in Chandigarh on Tuesday for ‘deliberate’ delay in filing the challan

The Fazilka police on Tuesday submitted a challan against Akali leader and liquor baron Shiv Lal Doda in the court of judicial magistrate Jagjit Singh in the Abohar murder case.

Shiv Lal Doda, Akali leader from Abohar (Second in right) with Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal . HT File Photo

Doda had been booked for criminal conspiracy for the December 11, 2015, incident in which a Dalit, 27-year-old Bhim Sain, was murdered at the Akali leader’s farmhouse in Abohar, a sub-division of Fazilka district. His both hands and legs were chopped off at Doda’s farmhouse and another person, Gurjant Singh, who accompanied Bhim, also suffered injuries in the incident. Doda is lodged in the Fazilka sub-jail.

Though the contents of the challan could not be known, Fazilka senior superintendent of police (SSP) Narendra Bhargav confirmed the development.

Doda was not named in the challan presented against 25 accused, including Doda’s nephew Amit Doda, on March 12.

The police was forced to submit the challan against Doda as Bhim’s mother Kaushalya Devi and Gurjant had threatened to hold a dharna in front of the Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal’s residence in Chandigarh on Tuesday for the “deliberate” delay. “The police are not submitting the challan against Doda under political pressure and are trying to give him a clean chit,” Kaushalya had alleged.

Satisfied over filing of the challan, Kaushalya demanded a probe into the alleged VVIP services being provided to Doda in the Fazilka sub-jail. “It is strange that despite assurance by deputy chief minister Sukhbir Badal of ensuring justice, Doda is enjoying VVIP treatment in the jail. All our appeals to transfer him to another jail have gone in vain. Doda is running his liquor trade from the jail,” she alleged, adding: “If the authorities don’t stop giving VIP treatment to him, we will sit on protest in front of the jail.”

Gurjant, whose limbs were also severed, said: “Even four months after the attack, the state government has not provided any financial aid for my treatment.”

Doda family blames Jakhar

Doda’s relative Avinash Doda has accused Abohar legislator and senior Congress leader Sunil Jakhar of hatching a conspiracy against Doda. Jakhar was trying to implicate him since 2012 assembly polls as Doda secured more than 35,000 votes despite being an independent candidate in his maiden election battle, he said. “Doda had succeeded in making a strong base among the voters in Abohar and was a threat to Jakhar,” he added.