Body of missing Karnal dy mayor’s brother found, family wants action against cops

KARNAL: The body of Bharat alias Sonu Wadhwa, brother of local Deputy Mayor Manoj Wadhwa, who went missing two days ago, was found in a canal near Bhusli village in this district on Saturday morning.

Parveen Arora

Tribune News Service

Karnal, September 16

The body of Bharat alias Sonu Wadhwa, brother of local Deputy Mayor Manoj Wadhwa, who went missing two days ago, was found in a canal near Bhusli village in this district on Saturday morning.

The family on Friday had announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh to anyone giving information about Sonu as his car was found abandoned on the banks of the augmentation canal near Uncha Smana village on Thursday. Following this the family and police had started a search operation in the canal with the help of divers.

The Deputy Mayor’s family held the police responsible for the death and refused to get the post-mortem conducted till an FIR was registered against two DSPs for allegedly harassing the family.

Traders of the city started gathering at the post-mortem house at the local medical college.

The Deputy Mayor alleged that his family was being harassed by the police as an FIR has been registered against his father Radhe Shyam and him at Taraori police station, in which the police had claimed to have recovered Rs 70 lakh from his father and an accountant after the demonetisation, while the amount was only Rs 16.42 lakh.

He claimed that even the then SHO had said that the amount was Rs 16.42 lakh, but due to political pressure, the FIR was registered against them and three police personnel. Even after proving the source of the money to the Income Tax Department, which had also given them a clean chit, they were being harassed by the police leading to the death of his brother, he alleged.

“My brother was innocent and was being pressed by the DSP for the arrest of our father and other family members,” he said.

Manoj alleged that the three accused police personnel had approached the high court, where the DSP had misled the court saying his father was absconding for the last seven months, while the truth was that his father was very much at home looking after their business.

He said they had always cooperated with the police about the case.

Manoj’s uncle Virbhan demanded an FIR against both the DSPs for abetment to suicide saying they would not get the post-mortem conducted till their demand was met.

Meanwhile, a meeting is underway between the family and the DC and SP at the medical college.