Poohla (Tarn Taran), March 8
Head of Nihangs’ Tarna
Dal Ajit Singh Poohla, who could not be arrested for four months was
arrested by the Majitha police from Baba Bakala last evening without any
resistance by him. Before his arrest, the police cordoned off the
“Nihang chhawni” — the headquarter of Ajit Singh Poohla.
According to
Mr R.P.S. Bajwa, SSP Majitha, Poohla was handed over to the Tarn Taran
police as he was wanted in several cases registered against him
there.
However, aides of Poohla including Bibi Amrik Kaur, a Shaurya
Chakra awardee raised slogans against the state government and the
Punjab Police outside the CIA staff at Tarn Taran where Poohla was kept
after his arrest. Poohla claimed that he had surrendered before the
police.
Poohla alleged that he was implicated in false cases at the
behest of Capt Bikramjit Singh, OSD to the Chief Minister. He alleged
that Capt Bikramjit Singh had been nursing a grouse against him as he
was defeated by his men during the previous panchayat elections.
Bibi
Amrik Kaur threatened to launch an agitation if all cases registered
against Poohla were not withdrawn.
The state police chief recently
withdrew the security cover provided to Poohla due to efforts of ‘Poohla
Eviction Committee’, headed by Col G.S. Sandhu (retd).
Despite the
registration of several cases against him, Poohla dared to address a
press conference at Chandigarh on March 2 before leaving for Anandpur
Sahib.
Meanwhile, many people expressed surprise and disbelief when SHO
Bhikhiwind Darshan Singh released Poohla on bail. Instead of producing
him in a court, the SHO accepted the bail, leading to immediate release
of Poohla.
Sources pointed out that Poohla was released following
verbal orders of Mr A.A. Siddiqui, Director-General of Police,
Punjab.
Earlier, arrest of Poohla was considered “big achievement” by
the police.
After the release on bail Poohla went to Bhai Taroo
gurdwara here in a procession. Poohla and his supporters flashed ‘V’
sign showing victory.
Normally, Poohla would not have got bail from a
court easily. However, by exploiting loopholes in the law, Poohla
succeeded being free in less than 24 hours. Some of the heinous charges
being faced by Poohla include abductions, encroachments, ransom etc,
Charan Kaur had alleged that her husband Anoop Singh had died of
injuries inflicted on him by Poohla and his men on June 28,1990. Gurmeet
Kaur, wife of Jassa Singh Nihang of Varpal village alleged that Poohla
had tortured her husband to death in 2001.
However, a case of
abduction and assault was only registered on January 7, 2004. The
Nawanshahr police had also started a probe into the allegations that
Poohla and six of his associates had killed Nihang Sukdev Singh at
Sayyeed Jora Pir Mazar on June 19, 2002.
