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Joshi’s close aide booked for murder attempt on lawyer
PK Jaiswar
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, May 11
The police have booked BJP councillor Prabhjit Singh Rataul, a close aide of Cabinet minister Anil Joshi, and around 10 unidentified persons in connection with the murderous attack on advocate Vaneet Mahajan. Though Joshi’s name also figures in the FIR registered under Sections 307, 326, 324, 323, 427, 120-B and 341 of the IPC at the Civil Lines police station late last night, the police said they were still investigating into the case. No arrest has been made so far.

Vaneet has alleged in the FIR: “Anil Joshi planned this attack in order to prevent us from appearing in the court on May 12 in connection with the hearing on a bail application of the minister.”

The police have formed a special investigating team to probe into the alleged “false” case registered against Vaneet’s colleague Sandeep Gorsi, who happens to be the second complainant in the dual-vote controversy.

Earlier, Vaneet’s wife Renu Mahajan had threatened to commit self-immolation in front of Joshi’s residence if those accused in the murderous attack on her husband were not arrested by the police immediately. Accompanied by local Congress leaders at a press conference here, she urged Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to sack Joshi, who faces non-bailable warrants in three criminal cases filed by Vaneet and his colleague Sadeep Gorsi. “It has become clear that Joshi was behind the attack on my husband. The court has issued non-bailable warrants against him. What else the government needs to take action against Joshi who has been evading arrest for the past week,” she said.

She alleged the police was biased. Despite Vaneet and Gorsi’s repeated requests, they were not provided security, she added. Police Commissioner Jatinder Singh Aulakh said an SIT headed by an ADCP-rank official had been formed to inquire into the attempt to murder case against Gorsi, he said.

No order to arrest Joshi: Police

When asked why Anil Joshi has not been arrested despite a court having issued non-bailable warrants against him, police commissioner Jatinder Singh Aulakh said they had not received any directions from the court in that regard.

Indefinite strike by Bar

The Amritsar Bar Association has announced an indefinite strike in protest against the attack on Vaneet Mahajan and registration of “false case” against Gorsi.