CHANDIGARH – Over 10 months after they were arrested for possessing drugs and planning a dacoity, two youths from Jalandhar today claimed they were illegally framed up in the case at the behest of an Akali minister as they had been campaigning for the Congress.
They have demanded a high-level inquiry by an independent agency into the case. The Jalandhar police claimed they were rightly booked in the case. In fact, they might be booked in fresh cases as they were found involved in snatching incidents also, the police said.
Karamjit Singh of Beetal Jhuggian and his cousin Davinder Singh of Parjian Khurd claimed innocence on the basis of the timing of the three FIRs registered against them. Addressing a press conference here today along with lawyer Rajvinder Singh Bains, leaders of three human rights and social organisations, the youths alleged they were first booked at 1.05 am on April 13 for allegedly planning a dacoity.
As per norms, they were frisked properly. However, just 70 minutes later, Davinder was booked for recovery of 250 gm of “white powder” (commonly known as Chitta) from the pockets of his trouser. Fifteen minutes later, a similar recovery was shown from the pockets of Karamjit Singh.
Rajvinder Singh Bains said the youths were also brutally tortured.
However, Jaspreet Singh Sidhu, SSP Jalandhar (Rural), defended the FIR. “The youths had levelled this allegation earlier also. The police first booked them for dacoity and later drugs were recovered from them during frisking. It is a genuine case,” he said.
