Abuse complaint against Punjab minister Lal Chand Kataruchak withdrawn

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 13

The alleged victim in the sexual exploitation case against Punjab Cabinet Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak has withdrawn his complaint and even claimed that a purported video of the exploitation that had surfaced was “doctored”.

No basis for clean chit

I’m appalled by the SIT’s logic that since the complainant has withdrawn his complaint, tainted minister Kataruchak is given a clean chit! Sukhpal Khaira, Cong leader

The about-turn by the complainant, who had accused the minister of exploiting him for several years, comes as a relief for the Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, which was defying Governor Banwarilal Purohit’s order to register a criminal case against the minister.

While the slugfest between CM Mann and the Governor over the complaint continued, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) headed by former BJP MP Vijay Sampla had asked the state government to set up a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the allegations. The SIT headed by DIG Narendra Bhargava submitted its report to the NCSC on Monday.

The report said the complainant appeared before the SIT and stated that he was withdrawing the complaint and wanted to lead a normal life. He said the video of the “exploitation was doctored”. The Governor and NCSC chairman Sampla have not reacted to the SIT report.

Congress leader Sukhpal Khaira, who had exposed the alleged case in a complaint to the Governor, said in a tweet, “I’m appalled by the SIT’s logic that since the complainant has withdrawn his complaint, tainted minister Kataruchak is given a clean chit! Firstly, what about the sexual video clips of Kataruchak verified by the Governor? Does withdrawal of the complaint absolve the guilty of the offence?”

SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia urged the Governor to order registration of a case against the AAP minister in Chandigarh, of which the Governor is the Administrator.

BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa said he would move the high court to seek justice for the SC victim.

Kataruchak couldn’t be contacted despite repeated attempts.

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