Moga sarpanch candidate PO; held for smuggling poppy husk
MOGA: A candidate supported by the Shiromani Akali Dal ( SAD) for sarpanch’s post at Chuharchak village under Nihal Singh Wala constituency was arrested on Saturday as he was a proclaimed offender wanted in 14 cases of smuggling of poppy husk.
The candidate, who had campaigned for over a fortnight, was arrested by the district police while he was holding an election campaign, on the directions of a local court.
The accused had been declared a proclaimed offender by the additional district and sessions judge, and the Punjab and Haryana high court had recently rejected his bail.
The arrested Akali leader Jagroop Singh Jupi was close to Nihal Singh Wala MLA Rajwinder Kaur Bhagike and SGPC member Jagraj Singh Daudhar. He had supported Daudhar in the SGPC elections and Bhagike in the last assembly elections.
Jupi, who belongs to the scheduled caste category, has a stronghold in Chuharchak village and had filed nomination for the general seat of the sarpanch.
SSP Surjeet Singh Grewal said, “Jupi faces 14 cases of smuggling of poppy husk; two of these cases were registered in 2013. In these cases, 15 kg and 30 kg of poppy husk had been recovered from him.” The SSP said Jupi had filed a bail plea in the high court, which was rejected.
“After this, the additional district and sessions court had declared Jupi a proclaimed offender and directed the police to arrest him,” said the SSP.