KAPURTHALA: Bholath police has added section 353 of IPC - assaults or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty - a non-bailable offence, in a case registered against Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira on April 27.
On Friday evening, Khaira had posted on his social media accounts that he had learnt from reliable sources that CM Bhagwant Mann "out of pure hatred" had ordered to register an utterly false case against him to have him arrested.
Police sources revealed that the non-bailable section was added on Saturday. Officials were reluctant to speak on record.
Meanwhile Khaira’s son advocate Mehtab Singh on Saturday sent a complaint to Election Commission of India urging "protection from gross political vendetta" against his father "at the hands of Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, merely for keeping him out of the election campaign of Jalandhar Lok Sabha by poll by registering an utterly false FIR as he is one of the star campaigners of Indian National Congress."
"The said vindictive actions are result of my father’s vocal criticism of the CM and his government. He has recently exposed the misconduct of Lal Chand Kataruchak, cabinet minister Punjab for sexually exploiting a minor boy. The said victim has now approached the National Commission for SC/ST Delhi vide a complaint seeking action against the said tainted Minister," the complaint to ECI reads.
Alleging "vicious and hateful track record of CM Bhagwant Mann" towards his father, Mehtab sought intervention and protection of the ECI to safeguard the life and liberty of his father so that he ccould participate in the campaign in order to ensure a free and fair election.
Khaira was booked on the complaint of Bholath SDM Sanjiv Sharma for obstructing, holding threat of injury to a public servant, wrongful confinement, defamation and criminal intimidation after the officer had sent two complaints – one to chief minister and other to chief secretary.
Khaira had rubbished the charges of any intimidation or threats and said that everything was clear from the videos of both the occasions.
"The lightening speed of correspondence by the chief secretary, DGP, DIG, SSP, DSP and SHO resulting in FIR between 26-27 April also exhibits sheer vendetta against him by the CM misusing official machinery of the state,” he had said.
