Congress leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira (left), Brig Nawab Singh Heer (retd) (centre) and Brig KS Kahlon (retd), president,state unit of All India Defence Brotherhood, during a press conference in Chandigarh on Monday.
MOHALI – Akali Dal leader Harjinder Singh, a resident of Balongi, was arrested for allegedly making an attempt to grab a plot belonging to Brigadier Nawab Singh Heer (retd), now a Canada-based NRI. Harjinder Singh has been arrested on charges of cheating and criminal conspiracy. At least five accused had tried to grab Brigadier Heer’s one-kanal plot (number 75) in Sector 71 by preparing fake documents, including a driving licence, a voter card and a PAN card.
Two other accused, Mohinder Singh and Aman, have been already arrested while their accomplice Gurdip Singh is still at large.
A case under Sections 420, 419, 467, 468, 471 and 120B of the IPC was registered against the accused at the Phase 8 police station.
Mohali SSP Inder Mohan Singh Bhatti said Harjinder Singh had been arrested after verification of facts.
As per Brigadier Heer, the Mohali police had rounded up Harjinder Singh and other accused on July 5 on the complaint of his friend Jagdeep. “That day, the police let them go after getting a phone call from local Akali leader Amanjot Kaur Ramoowalia,” alleged Heer.
“Amanjot never called up the SHO. She can never do this. Congress leaders are trying to defame Amanjot because of political rivalry. Congress leaders are trying to politicise the case,” Amanjot’s father and senior Akali leader BS Ramowalia said.
The police said Harjinder’s name had also surfaced in two to three criminal cases. “His name had surfaced in a murder case at Kurali and an attempt to murder case at Balongi,” said the police. His name was, however, cleared in both the cases.
Meanwhile, the Congress party came out in support of Brig Heer. Congress leaders Sukhpal Singh Khaira and Mohali MLA Balbir Singh Sidhu alleged that a realtor-politician had been grabbing properties of NRIs in the state. “He has not spared even senior Punjab Police officers, including an IGP rank officer,” they alleged.
