Facing theft case, RTI activist writes to DGP for fair probe

Nikhil Bhardwaj

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, July 18

An RTI activist Kuldeep Singh Khaira, who is facing a theft case for allegedly stealing records from the Municipal Corporation (MC) office, on Wednesday wrote to the Punjab DGP seeking cancellation of the FIR. He said the FIR was registered due to political pressure and it had no substance in it.

Notably, amidst an inquiry into the construction of flats at Ishar Nagar, Congress leader Kamaljit Singh Karwal had accused Khaira, who is a complainant in the flats case, of allegedly stealing official records from the MC office. Showing CCTV footage, Karwal on Thursday had demanded the MC authorities to act against the RTI activist. On Sunday, an FIR under Section 380 of the IPC was registered against Khaira on the complaint of Harvider Singh Soni, assistant town planner, Municipal Corporation, Ludhiana.

In a letter to the DGP, Khaira said, “It is a conspiracy against me. They pressurised me to take back my complaint. Now, on the basis of false allegations levelled by Congress leader Karwal, the police registered an FIR. I have not stolen any official record. I had received information under the RTI Act two days ago. There are major violations in the construction of flats. I was earlier attacked by goons for raising my voice against the construction of these flats.”

He alleged that in the recent order of the Director, local government, the construction of Ishar Nagar flats was stopped till the time complaints in the case were pending. Due to this, a political conspiracy against him was hatched and an FIR was registered. He urged the DGP to mark an inquiry to an IPS-rank officer for a fair probe.