Charges framed against 9 in Chadha suicide case

Tribune News Service

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Amritsar, November 2

The court of Additional Sessions Judge Avtar Singh framed charges against nine persons in the Inderpreet Singh Chadha suicide case on Friday. He had shot himself on January 3, days after a ‘sleaze’ video purportedly showing his father, then Chief Khalsa Diwan president Charanjit Singh Chadha, with a woman principal had gone viral.

The charges were framed under Sections 306 (abetment of suicide), 384 (extortion) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC. Confirming the development, Inderpreet’s son Anmol Chadha said the court had fixed November 22 as the next date of hearing.

Those against whom the charges were framed are Inderpreet’s brother Harjit Singh Chadha, Davinder Singh Sandhu, Kuljit Kaur Ghumman, Vijay Umat, Inderpreet Singh Anand, Surjit Singh, the principal who had accused Charanjit Chadha of outraging her modesty, her husband and their employee, Gursewak Singh.

After the video surfaced, the police had booked Charanjit and Inderpreet. The latter was then the vice-president of the CKD. The FIR had been registered under Sections 354, 354-A, 506 and 509 of the IPC and Sections 67 and 67-A of the IT Act on the principal’s statement.

Subsequently, Inderpreet had committed suicide by shooting himself in his car on the airport road here. The police and his family had found suicide notes, in which he had named several persons who allegedly cheated and intimidated him, including his brother, Harjit Chadha. He had urged Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh and DGP Suresh Arora to ensure justice.

The government set up an SIT headed by IG LK Yadav. After completing a probe, the SIT had recommended the arrest of the suspects. All were arrested and sent to jail. Barring Gursewak Singh, all secured bail from courts.

It all started with ‘sleaze’ video

• December 27, 2017: ‘Sleaze’ video purportedly showing then Chief Khalsa Diwan (CKD) head Charanjit Singh Chadha with a woman principal goes viral
• Dec 29: On a complaint by the principal, Charanjit and his son, Inderpreet Chadha, booked on charges of outraging her modesty and criminal intimidation
• Dec 31: CKD expels father-son duo
• Jan 3, 2018: Inderpreet ends life
• Jan 4: On the statement of Inderpreet’s son Prabhpreet Singh, Amritsar police register case under Sections 306 (abetment of suicide) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of IPC
• Jan 5: Probe into ‘sleaze’ video and Inderpreet’s suicide handed over to IG (Crime) LK Yadav
• Feb 27: All nine suspects, including Inderpreet’s brother Harjit Chadha, arrested on recommendation of SIT headed by Yadav
• April 5: Harjit Chadha, Inderpreet Anand and Vijay Umat get bail from the court of District and Sessions Judge.