Rupnagar: Merely two months after the Moga molestation case involving a bus owned by the ruling Badal family of Punjab, the transport company drags itself into yet another controversy with a hit-and-run case.
A 37 year old man was crushed questionably by a luxury bus belonging to Dabwali Transport, a company owned by chief minister Parkash Singh Badal's family. The bus bearing number PB03V-1990 was seen being driven reckelessly, hitting the victim and dragging it to some distance, as reported by a witness.
The accident provoked massive protest against the Badals, and the villagers asked for a compensation of Rs 50 lakh for the victim's family, a job for his wife and strict action against the bus driver and its owners. Punjab Congress president Partap Singh Bajwa said, “The incident is a classic example of hit and run as the bus driver didn't even bother to stop after crushing Swaran Singh. The police have failed to take any action and the reasons are obvious.”
State Congress president Partap Singh Bajwa was at the protest site with colleague Sukhpal Singh Khaira and party legislators Jagmohan Singh Kang, Balbir Singh Sidhu, and Charanjit Singh Channi. Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member Ambika Soni accused the state bureaucracy of serving the financial interests of the Badal family. “The entire government machinery came together to save the driver of a Badal bus. An innocent car driver was pressurised to take the blame,” she said.
However, much to the displeasure of all those against the CM and his family, the Punjab police gave a clean chit to Dabwali Transport, claiming that victim Swarn Singh died after his scooter was hit by a car, and not the bus. Forensic examination of the event said the bus did not make any contact whatsoever with the scooter or the car. The reports triggered further protests as the Congress said it was a massive cover up to shield and protect the business interests of the Badals.
