BJP leader’s son, Congress councillor booked for blackmail, extortion

Surinder Bhardwaj

Fatehgarh Sahib, July 3

The police have registered a case against senior BJP leader and former minister’s son and his accomplices allegedly for blackmailing, extorting money and demanding Rs 50 lakh more for settlement in a rape case.

The police said the suspects have been booked under Sections 384, 388, 389, 506 and 120B of the Indian Penal Code on the basis of a complaint filed by Sukhdev Singh.

Fatehgarh Sahib SHO Akash Dutt said the case had been registered against Vipan Kumar Verma, alias Babbu, son of a former minister and senior BJP leader; Congress Councillor Jagjeet Singh Koki of Brahmin Majra and his accomplice Jaspreet Singh, alias Ladi, a resident of Railway Road, Sirhind.

In his complaint to the SSP, Sukhdev Singh said a false case was registered on April 11, 2024, against his son-in-law Jagdeep Singh of Sangrur on the charge of raping a minor girl. The SSP marked an inquiry to Fatehgarh Sahib DSP (crime against women and children). After the inquiry, he mentioned in his report that the girl’s father died in 2021 while her mother and brother were in jail in a murder case. He said the girl used to live in a PG. She became friends with Jagdeep Singh through social media.

He said the girl said Jagdeep came to Sirhind and kept her in a hotel at night and forcibly made physical relations with her. She filed a complaint against him.

In his report, the DSP said the victim, her mother, Vipan Kumar and Councillor Koki formed a gang to blackmail people. He said they demanded Rs 50 lakh from Jagdeep to settle the rape case. Jagdeep, who had paid them a hefty amount earlier too, expressed inablility to pay the amount.

He said in his statement to the police Koki accepted that he used to demand money from people at the behest of Vipan Kumar. He said the statements of the girl are contradictory and doubtful, which do not match the evidence. He mentioned that in connivance with each other, they blackmailed Jagdeep Singh, extorted money, and were demanding more money, because of which it was recommended to register a case against them.

The SHO said raids were being conducted to arrest the suspects.