CHANDIGARH: A delegation of the Shiromani Akali Dal met officials of the Election Commission in New Delhi, demanding to depute a “high powered team” in Shahkot segment for “free and fair” holding of the May 28 bypoll. SAD leaders cited action against station house officer (SHO) Parminder Singh Bajwa, who registered a case of illegal mining against Congress candidate Hardev Singh Ladi Sherowalia, to stress that the state's ruling party Congress may misuse official machinery.
SAD spokesman Daljit Singh Cheema released a statement saying the delegation told the EC that efforts are being made by the Congress to “demoralise” officials posted in Shahkot. He said, “Fears have come true. The SHO has been arrested on trumped-up charges because he resisted pressure from the Congress party and registered the case.” SAD, asking the EC to intervene immediately, said this was necessary to put faith in the electoral system among officials on duty in Shahkot. “The Congress government has sent a clear message that it will persecute anyone who tries to go by the law and tries to take action against the Congress candidate,” the delegation said.
The delegation also said that immediately after he registered the case against the Congress candidate, the SHO was sent on “forced” leave and his “harassment started” with inquiries being marked against him. Bajwa has been booked under Sections 353 and 186 of the IPC for allegedly obstructing the court security staff from discharging their duties and under Section 27 of the Arms Act. He was produced before the duty magistrate, which sent him to a 14-day judicial remand. Jalandhar Police Commissioner Praveen Sinha said, “As Bajwa appeared before the duty magistrate, his relatives and lawyers stated he be given a psychiatric treatment instead of being sent to jail. The magistrate said the call on this would be taken by the doctor at Kapurthala Modern Jail.”
