Day after Simarjit Singh Bains' arrest, rape victim lifts dharna

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, July 12

A day after Lok Insaaf Party chief and former MLA Simarjit Singh Bains surrendered in a court and was arrested in a rape case, the 44-year-old victim decided to lift the dharna outside the Commissioner of Police’s (CP) office.

CASE RECORD

NOV 16, 2020: A woman filed a rape plaint against Bains

FEB 8, 2021: She started a dharna outside the CP office

JULY 10: Bains among 7 booked

NOV: Chargesheet filed

APRIL 12, 2022: All accused, including Bains, declared POs

MAY 3: Wanted posters of Bains and others put in public places

JULY 2: Bains’ brother arrested

JULY 4: Property dealer held

JULY 11: Bains surrenders in court and arrested

July 12: Rape victim lifts the dharna

Will seek life term

This case will set an example in the country. No one, especially politicians, will dare to sexually exploit women in future. I will seek life term for Bains. — Harish Rai Dhanda, victim’s lawyer

Harish Rai Dhanda, the lawyer of the victim, and DSP Balwinder Singh Sekhon (retd) were present outside the CP office when she decided to lift the dharna after 518 days.

Talking to the media, the victim said she had started the protest outside the CP office on February 8, 2021. “As Bains along with the other accused — Karamjit Singh (brother of Bains), Pardeep Kumar, Baljinder Kaur, Jasbir Kaur, alias Bhabhi, Sukhchain Singh, Paramjit Singh, alias Pamma — have been arrested. So, I have decided to lift the dharna. I can now hope that the Police Department will take the case to its logical end and punish the culprits. I have full faith in the judiciary,” she added.

Reacting to the statement of Bains, who termed the rape complaint as fake and politically motivated, she said: “If it was false, why the police registered a case after conducting probe for months and why the court declared all accused, including Bains, proclaimed offenders.

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