SGPC member’s son arrested for trader’s abduction in Mansa

TRADER CHIMAN LAL WAS RELEASED AFTER A RANSOM OF ₹1 CRORE WAS ALLEGEDLY PAID BY THE FAMILY TO ABDUCTORS

MANSA: The Mansa police claimed to have solved the case of a trader's abduction by arresting Kalyan Singh, a Youth Akali Dal (YAD) leader, and son of SGPC member Sukhchain Singh Dharampura, after raiding his residence on Thursday morning.

In August, one 55-year-old Chiman Lal was abducted from the Budhlada-Bareta road while he was returning home. After staying in captivity for around 15 days, Chiman Lal was released after a ransom of ₹1 crore was allegedly paid by the family. Later, the case took a new turn, when a DSP rank officer was transferred for allegedly assisting the family in paying the ransom.

Despite all this, till Thursday morning, the district police seemed to be clueless about the accused. The district police raided the residence of SGPC member Sukhchain Singh and arrested his son Kalyan Singh and one of his accomplices from Dharampura village. The early morning raid took Sukhchain Singh by surprise and he also contacted the CM, but to no avail, claimed a source within the department.

Sukhchain Singh, SGPC member and general secretary of the Sant Samaj, is under constant watch of the district police because he is suspected to have provided hideouts to Sikh militants. His son Kalyan Singh is on the bad character list compiled by the district police. He has been booked under cases of the arms Act and robbery in the past.

The police said that the details provided by the trader after his release hinted towards the involvement of Kalyan Singh, who was under the police scanner. After an hourlong raid, the police seized four motorcyles and '30 lakh in cash from the house.