Three held for firing at Congress leader

Amritsar, June 7

Days after firing at Congress leader and lawyer Vaneet Mahajan, the police have arrested three persons, including shooters, involved in the incident.

Startling facts tumbled out of the closet during preliminary investigation revealing that firing was planned by Mahajan himself to get his security cover back. His security cover was pruned by the police several days before the incident.

Sources in the Police Department said as the issue pertains to the lawyer community, the police was leaving no stone unturned to get all clinching evidences in the case before sharing details of the investigation.

A police official on condition of anonymity confirmed the development and said investigation was still under progress. He said, “The police have arrested three persons in this connection, but their names have been withheld as sharing any details regarding them would hamper the investigation. Everything would be shared after completion of the probe.”

Mahajan along with his wife Sonia was returning home from a hotel after performing his daily puja around 7 am on May 28 when the incident happened. Two scooter-borne persons intercepted their car and fired several gunshots at the vehicle before fleeing from the spot.

This was fourth attack on Vaneet Mahajan. Earlier, he faced a murderous attack several years ago when he had filed a case against former Punjab Minister Anil Joshi in an alleged dual vote case. The matter is pending in the Supreme Court.

Mahajan had claimed that he was getting threatening calls and had informed the police about it. On April 27, he had demanded registration of an FIR against some policemen on the basis of a speech of an MLA, who had alleged that drug abuse was rampant in the Civil Lines area, which was under the jurisdiction of these cops, who were being sheltered by a political leader. Mahajan said on April 30 his security was pruned. Senior Congress leadership had condemned the attack demanding immediate arrest of the suspects.

The police official said Vaneet Mahajan was nominated in the case. He had hired two shooters from Madhya Pradesh for firing at him with a weapon. Role of a couple of other lawyers was also under scanner, the police official added.