150 SAD men booked for threatening poll staff, cop in Bathinda

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, January 12

The Bathinda police have registered a case against more than 150 SAD workers for allegedly threatening a returning officer and a cop during the Maluka cooperative society polls here.

The case has been registered on the complaint of Resham Singh of Maluka village under Sections 353, 186, 506 and 427 of the IPC.

Resham Singh has alleged that his son Baldev Singh had to file his nomination papers. “The accused reached the spot and started threatening returning officer Jitesh Kumar and Inspector Amanpreet Singh. They even attacked their vehicle,” he stated in the complaint.

SAD leader and former minister Sikander Singh Maluka, on the other hand, accused the Congress government of wrongdoing during nomination filing. “A false case has been filed against SAD workers,” he alleged. Maluka said nominations had to be filed on Monday at 9 am, but papers of Congress candidates were accepted on Sunday.

“Fearing defeat, some poll officials took the nomination papers from Congress candidates on Sunday evening. The poll staff reached the society office today at 7 am. The police were deployed in large numbers and Dyalpura police station SHO Amanpreet Singh Virk did not allow SAD candidates to enter the office. To file the nomination papers, I reached the spot,” said Maluka.

He said when he reached the office, the police had to allow the entry to SAD candidates for filing papers, but on the instructions of Congress leaders, DSP Phul Jasbir Singh and the SHO took the poll staff away from the spot. He said he met the IGP, Bathinda Range, and the Bathinda SSP today and demanded cancellation of the “false” case registered against SAD workers.