Faridkot: Gangster ‘scares’ aspirants, no papers filed in Behbal Kalan
After “A” category gangster, Harsimrandeep Singh, alias Simma Behbal, allegedly threatened aspirants from filing nominations for the post of sarpanch at Behbal Kalan village in Faridkot, nobody dared to file papers.
A few days ago, Simma, who is a resident of Behbal Kalan village, conveyed the villagers that he wanted his father to be elected unopposed to the post of sarpanch.
No complaint received
No villager has filed a complaint in this regard so far. However, rumours have been doing rounds that gangster Simma wants his father to be the sarpanch of Behbal Kalan village. Baljit Singh, superintendent of police, faridkot
Already booked in 26 cases
- In January 2018, Simma was held by the Faridkot police in a joint operation with Uttarakhand cops from Dehradun
- Simma has been booked in 26 cases, including murder of a miller at Jaito in 2017. He got bail in February
- In May 2023, the National Investigation Agency had seized ~39 lakh from Simma’s house
Randhawa submits papers to LS Speaker
- The embers emanating from a verbal spat between Gurdaspur MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and Deputy Commissioner Uma Shankar Gupta refuse to die down
- The MP said, “I have submitted documents to the Lok Sabha Speaker, who will take a call since the Privileges Committee is yet to be constituted.”
- On his part, the DC has submitted a report to the Parliament Speaker and the state Chief Secretary informing them of the sequence of events leading to the incident
- In 1992, Rajya Sabha MP Bhupinder Singh Mann had filed such a motion against the then DGP KPS Gill. Later, the police officer had to tender an unconditional apology
Expressing helplessness, Jaito Sub-Divisonal Magistrate (SDM) Suraj Kumar confirmed that none of the residents of Behbal Kalan village filed nominations. “I have asked the returning officer to file the report,” said the SDM.
Though Simma’s father has also not filed papers, the decision of others not to jump into the fray has become the talk of the town.
Faridkot Superintendent of Police (SP) Baljit Singh said no villager had filed a complaint in this regard so far. However, rumours had been doing rounds that Simma wanted his father to be the sarpanch of Behbal Kalan, he said.
On September 29, Simma, who has been booked in 26 cases, had escaped from the police custody along with his seven aides in Jaito. On the same day, the Bajakhana police had seized a pump action rifle, 40 cartridges and two vehicles from the gangster’s two associates as they were planning a dacoity. The SP said those nabbed included Jaskaran Singh and Akashdeep Singh.
Sources said the pump action rifle seized from the accused was a licensed weapon and owner of the weapon resides abroad.
Jaito Deputy Superintendent of Police said the matter was under investigation.
