Attack on MLA:Police file DDR against Karwal, aides

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, February 20

Following the complaint filed by Lok Insaaf Party (LIP) chief and MLA Simarjit Singh Bains, who on Sunday alleged that he was attacked by Congressmen led by Kamaljit Singh Karwal, the police filed daily diary register (DDR) report against Karwal, the Congress candidate from Ward No. 49, Rajinder Kaur’s son Gurpreet Gopi and unidentified persons, under non-cognizable offences.

AAP and LIP leaders blamed the police of taking ‘U-turn’ as they claimed that they were ‘assured’ by the police that an FIR had been registered against Karwal and his aides.

Earlier in the morning, LIP and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders, including Leader of the Opposition in Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Sukhpal Khaira, along with MLAs Simarjit Singh Bains, Balwinder Singh Bains and a large number of their supporters gathered outside Gulmor Hotel to take out a protest march towards the Police Commissioner’s office.

Meanwhile, the police reached on the spot and assured that action had been initiated under various sections against Karwal, Gopi and unidentified persons. AAP-LIP leaders then announced to cancel the protest by saying that an FIR had been registered against Karwal and his aides. 

Later, the police clarified that only DDR was filed. Inquiry officer, ADCP Surinder Lamba, said the DDR report against Karwal, Gopi and unidentified persons was filed under non-cognizable offences.  “The action into the case has been initiated,” he added.

According to information, the DDR was filed under the Sections 323, 427, 506 and 149 of the IPC. According to the police, these were bailable offenses.

Khaira alleged that the police cheated them as they cancelled protest only after officials assured that an FIR had been registered against Karwal and his aides. 

“The police work on the instructions of Congress leaders. We had no idea that police officials will cheat us,” he added.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Ashwani Kapoor, who visited the site where AAP-LIP leaders and their supporters had gathered to stage protest, claimed that the police did not announce that an FIR was registered. “We have filed DDR under non-cognizable offences,” he added. 

MLA Simarjit Singh Bains had on Sunday alleged that he was attacked by Congress leader Kamaljit Singh Karwal, Gurpreet Gopi and other persons when he was holding talks at house of a businessman in the Model Town Extension.