Ex-SAD minister fails to surrender
CHANDIGARH: Former Akali minister Sucha Singh Langah, booked by Gurdaspur police on charges of raping a police constable, failed to surrender before the court on Saturday.
Though rumours were abuzz throughout the day on Langah’s surrender in a Pathankot court, the SAD leader didn’t show up. On Friday, Langah had said he respects the law and would surrender on Saturday.
Additional director general of police (borders) Harpreet Singh Sindhu confirmed that the former minister hadn’t surrendered till filing of the report.
The police remained on toes at the district courts in Gurdaspur too as special security arrangements were made to prevent former minister’s supporters from thronging the complex to show solidarity.
Sources said Langah’s statement on his surrender before the court is a smart move to avoid police raids. “He is buying time and is likely to try for an antici- patory bail in the high court,” said a senior police official.
A case under Sections 376 (rape), 384 (extortion) 420 (fraud) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered against Langah at the Gurdaspur city police station.
The woman, while lodgingthe complaint, also claimed to have shot a 20-minute video that shows Langah sexually exploiting her. The clip was handed to the police in a pen drive, Gurdaspur senior superintendent of police (SSP) Harcharan Singh Bhullar said.