Kalka MLA, 14 others sentenced to 3-yr jail

Tribune News Service

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Solan, January 28

The Judicial Magistrate, First Class, Nalagarh, today sentenced Kalka MLA Pardeep Chaudhary and 14 others to three years simple imprisonment and also imposed a fine of Rs 85,500 on each of them for rioting, assault, use of criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging his duty, mischief by fire or explosive substance and under the Prevention of Damage to Public Property (PDP) Act.

Suchha Singh, a resident of Paploha village near Kalka, had climbed atop an electricity pole at Barotiwala to escape the traffic police, which were on duty there, on May 31, 2011. He was grievously injured as he came in contact with an electricity wire and later died at the PGI, Chandigarh.

Peeved at the incident, a violent crowd of people from various villages such as Shahpur, Paploha, Bar Godam, Lehi Kherawali, Banoi Sawalia of Panchkula armed with wooden sticks, rods and stones placed the body near the red light chowk at Baddi after the postmortem. They attacked the police, who were maintaining law and order and trying to pacify them. The protesters also blocked traffic on the highway and set ablaze two government vehicles — a bus (HP-14-A-3176) and a pick-up vehicle (HP-12-C-5441).

Mahesh Kumar, a resident of Shahpur in Panchkula, led the unruly crowd and Pardeep Chaudhary, who was Kalka MLA even at that time, along with 13 others was also part of it. One accused had died during the course of the trial. The prosecution was able to establish its case on the basis of the witnesses and evidence.