Cong leader booked for threatening key witness, family

FARIDKOT: The Faridkot police on Friday booked a local Congress leader and his two brothers for allegedly threatening a key witness in the 2015 Behbal Kalan police firing case and his family.

Policed have booked Manjinder Singh, Jagdeep Singh and Lovepreet Singh, all residents of Behbal Kalan in Faridkot district, on the complaint of key witness Surjit Singh’s wife Jasvir Kaur. Surjit died following a heart attack at his house in Behbal Kalan on January 15. After his death, his family accused a cabinet minister and CM’s political adviser of mounting pressure on him to not depose as witness in the case.

In her complaint, Jasvir stated Manjinder had fired gunshots in the air outside their house on two occasions — December 8, 2018, and November 15, 2019 — to intimidate them.

Faridkot superintendent of police Bhupinder Singh Sidhu said a case under Sections 336 (endangering life), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (common intention) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Arms Act has been registered against the accused at the Bajakhana police station.

Surjit’s son Lakhwinder Singh said they filed a police complaint in December 2018 after the first firing incident, but to no avail.

“In November last year, Manjinder again opened fire outside our house to threaten us and we again filed a complaint. We have also complained against employees of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited for harassment and police for inaction. But the police booked the Congress leader and his brothers, and are trying to save officials,” he said.

After Surjit’s death, his family accused a cabinet minister and CM’s political advisor of mounting pressure on him. But his wife has not named both the leaders in the complaint.

Lakhwinder said that they have filed a complaint against persons who directly harassed and threatened them. “But they have done this at the behest of Congress leaders. The role of these leaders should also be investigated,” he added.

ACCUSED MANJINDER SINGH’S 2 BROTHERS JAGDEEP SINGH AND LOVEPREET SINGH ALSO BOOKED