PUNJAB Police on Monday conducted raids at the residences of SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia and others to arrest them for allegedly “storming” into a police station and attempting to forcibly release a detainee from police custody. According to the Amritsar Rural police on Monday, the police went to Majithia’s Amritsar residence in Green Avenue area, but he was not present. SAD leader Majithia and around 50-60 others forcibly entered the police station on Sunday, went around searching its rooms “in utter disregard of law”, and damaged case files, police said. Police said action will be taken regardless of “how highly one is placed” and an SIT has been formed in the matter. Akali Dal, however, alleged the man who was arrested was a party polling agent in the recent civic body polls, and he was kept at an SHO’s quarters instead of a police lock-up. This was a “fabricated” case linked to “political vendetta”, the party alleged. Speaking outside the SAD leader’s residence, Amritsar Rural Superintendent of police Aditya Warrier said they were conducting searches to nab those involved in the incident which took place on Sunday. He said Majithia was not present in his house when Amritsar Rural police reached there. Replying to a question, Warrier said an FIR had been registered in connection with Sunday’s incident. “We came here to arrest those who were named in the FIR”, the officer said.

 

Separately, addressing a press conference Amritsar (Rural), Senior Superintendent of Police, Suhail Qasim Mir said Jobanpreet Singh was arrested on Sunday morning. “When he was in lawful custody, after his formal arrest, he was being questioned. Meanwhile, an unlawful assembly gathered outside the gate of the Majitha police station. They overpowered our employees and gained forcible entry under a preplanned conspiracy with an aim to free Jobanpreet,” Mir said. He said the entry of the crowd was illegal and unauthorised. “Bikram Singh Majithia was part of this also and they started searching rooms of police stations without authorisiation and in utter disregard of law. “They also reached the room where Jobanpreet was being questioned. Our employees resisted, but they did not pay heed to us and were brandishing weapons. Our case files kept there were also damaged by them,” he said. He said after this, Jobanpreet was forcibly taken out of that room even though he was in lawful police custody. “The SHO and DSP Majitha reached the spot to control the situation. But the unlawful assembly confronted them. The police officers tried to tell them Jobanpreet’s formal arrest has been done. Despite that attempt was made to take him out of police custody. “Assault on police force took place and use of criminal force by the unlawful assembly was made to deter the public servants from discharge of their duty.

 

Attempt was made to snatch the phone of the SHO,” the SSP said. He said the police officials, however, managed to take Jobanpreet back into their custody. The crowd then raised slogans and tried to create ruckus and disorder and attempted to create an atmosphere of fear, he said. “After evaluation of all evidence on record, an FIR has been registered. Our raids are going on. We will arrest the accused soon,” he said. He said a Special Investigation Team, led by a superintendent of police rank officer, has been formed in the matter. “No matter how highly one is placed if anyone breaks the law, then law will take its course and action will follow,” the SSP said. Asked how many people have been named in the FIR, the SSP said according to videos available in public domain, more than 50-60 persons were present. Six to seven persons have been identified and identification of the rest is underway, he said. Asked whether Majithia was leading the crowd, the SSP replied that he was part of the “unlawful assembly”. Reacting to the police action, Shiromani Akali Dal Sukhbir Singh Badal dubbed it as political vendetta. “They are frustrated. It is a planned operation of the Punjab Government,” he said. He said that only recently, AAP leader Talbir Gill had forcibly freed his worker from police custody.

 

“However no action was taken against Gill even as Bikram Majithia is being targeted with registration of a false case,” Badal said. Bathinda MP and Majithia’s sister Harsimrat Kaur Badal slammed the AAP Government over the police action. “The one who injured one of our Akali workers was taken out from a police station by the Majitha in-charge and no action was taken against him. But the one, who was kept in illegal confinement at the SHO’s house without any FIR...When he was rescued, an FIR was registered against (Bikram) Majithia,” she told reporters here. “All of Punjab is watching. This Chief Minister is frustrated. Why he is scared of Majithia? Why is the police being misused? What wrong did Bikram do,” she asked. The SAD has moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court against the arrest of Jobanpreet. SAD spokesperson Arshdeep Singh Kler said before arresting any one in offences where punishment is seven years or less than seven years, a notice was required to be given before making an arrest by police. Jobanpreet was not issued any such notice, and only now the grounds of his arrest were given, he said.

 

The high court on Monday issued a notice in the matter for June 2. “If somebody is in illegal custody and people have rescued him then it is not an offence. The entire incident in videographed,” Kler said. He further said they have not issued any copy of the FIR registered against Majithia and others. SAD leaders alleged that a party worker and election agent Jobanpreet Singh, was allegedly picked up from his home in the early hours of Sunday and kept in the local SHO’s quarters instead of a police lockup in Amritsar. Bikram Singh Majithia and his supporters alleged that Jobanpreet was picked up in a fabricated case due to political vendetta as he was a polling agent of SAD in the recently held civic body elections. On Sunday, Majithia and supporters confronted the police officers, they said.