32 booked for canal water theft in Fazilka

Fazilka, May 20

A week after the visit of Revenue and Water Resources Minister Brahm Shankar Jimpa inspected canals in Jalalabad Assembly segment, 32 persons, including four brothers of SAD leader Hans Raj Josan and district congress committee chief Raj Baksh Kamboj have been booked for allegedly stealing canal water.

The accused have been booked on the basis of a complaint of the Executive Engineer, Eastern Canal Division, Ferozepur. After receiving complaints by some villagers, Jimpa along with Jalalabad AAP MLA Jagdeep Goldy Kamboj, had inspected various canals on the night of May 13. The minister had directed official concerned to take stern action against water thieves. Officials found out that some persons had illegally laid pipes to derive water from Barkatwah minor canal.

Those booked include Sarwan Chand, Hari Krishan, Sher Chand and Jagir Chand (all brothers) and Harbhagwan, Raj Kumar and Subhash Chander cousins of former minister Josan, who had contested the 2022 Assembly poll on SAD ticket from Fazilka.

Besides, the district congress committee acting chief and his brother Amir Chand have also been booked under Section 70 of the Northern India Canal and Drainage Act, 430 (wrongfully diverting canal water) and 379 of the IPC.

Josan termed the FIR as political vendetta.

Jalalabad AAP MLA Jagdeep Goldy Kamboj said, “Villagers at the tail end were unable to get water for drinking and irrigation purpose due to the water theft.”