Ex-AAP councillor, 16 get RI for attack on HUDA team

Our Correspondent

Gurugram, April 29

The court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Mona Singh on Thursday sentenced 17 persons, including 10 women, to rigorous imprisonment (RI) of 7 to 10 years for attacking and pelting stones at the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) anti-encroachment team in 2015.

Mob threw petrol bombs at police

• According to the police records, on May 15, 2015, team of the Haryana Urban Development Authority was removing debris after a demolition drive at Jhimar Basti, Sector 47
• It is alleged that an advocate Khajan Singh; Pradeep Zaildar; and the then councillor of the Municipal Corporation, Nisha Singh, instigated the crowd to attack the officers
• The mob also allegedly threw petrol bombs and LPG cylinders at the police teams. A duty magistrate and 15 other policemen were injured in this incident

One of the convicted accused is former AAP councillor Nisha Singh, who was pronounced guilty of instigating the mob.

There were total 19 accused in the case. Two accused, Ramesh and Ratanlal, have died during the trial.

The court said: “There is no doubt that this is a serious lapse on the part of the accused to injure public officers, but there is no reason to believe that they cannot be reformed or rehabilitated and that they are likely to continue the criminal acts of violence as would constitute a continuing threat to society.”

While 10 accused have been sentenced to seven years of RI and a fine, the remaining seven have been given 10 years of RI. All accused were sent into judicial custody.

As per the order, a fine of Rs 10,000 has been imposed on all 10 women, while the other seven convicts have to pay fine of Rs 20,000. In default of the payment, imprisonment will be increased two to three years.

According to the police records, on May 15, 2015, Junior Engineer Rajpal and other teams of the Haryana Urban Development Authority were removing the debris after a demolition drive at Jhimar Basti, Sector 47.

It is alleged that an advocate Khajan Singh; Pradeep Zaildar; and the then councillor of the Municipal Corporation, Nisha Singh, instigated the crowd to attack the officers.

The mob also allegedly threw petrol bombs and LPG cylinders at the police teams. A duty magistrate and 15 other policemen were injured in this incident.

All 19 accused are convicted under Sections 148, 149, 186, 325, 332, 333, 353, 436, 427 and 435 of the IPC.

Former councillor Nisha Singh has been convicted under Section 114 of the IPC as well. Seven other accused — Budhram, Ashok, Sonu, Chandram, Tejpal, Sandeep and Anil Kumar were also convicted under the Explosives Act.