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HP MLA skips party meet to escape arrest in murder case
Hina Rohtaki/Ambika Sharma
Tribune News Service

Panchkula/Solan, December 22
All hopes of the Panchkula police to nab newly elected Doon MLA Ram Kumar Chaudhary on the murder charge of 24-year-old Jyoti were dashed today after he didn’t turn up at the Congress legislature party (CLP) meeting held in the evening at Shimla.

The Panchkula police had yesterday issued arrest warrants against Ram Kumar Chaudhary, Dharampal, Gurmeet and Paramjeet under Section 302.

Jyoti was found murdered on November 22 near Sector 21, Panchkula. She reportedly was handling the financial matters of Chaudhary during the election period. While Gurmeet and Dharampal are nephews of Chaudhary, Paramjeet is his friend.

“We had kept a watch on all such points from where Chaudhary could have turned up for the meeting. Our police force was deployed outside the premises of the meeting but Chaudhary did not turn up,” said Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Virender Sangwan.

The ACP added, “His location can’t be traced from his mobile phone usage as he is presently not carrying any mobile phone.”

The Panchkula police has arrested the dealer who had reportedly sold a SIM card to Chaudhary on a fake identity card.

Himachal Director General of Police ID Bhandari said they were extending all possible help to the Panchkula police in the case.

A day before the election results, the location of Chaudhary was detected in Himachal Pradesh but after the arrest warrants were issued, the police has not been able to zero-in on any location.

On Thursday, Chaudhary was elected from the Doon constituency in Himachal Pradesh on a Congress ticket. He has denied his involvement in the murder case.

Murdered on Nov 22

• Jyoti was found murdered on November 22 near Sector 21, Panchkula. She reportedly was handling the financial matters of Chaudhary during the election period
• Jyoti’s father Buti Ram has claimed a threat to his life saying that he was offered Rs 50 lakh near Hoshiarpur village to settle the case.