Arrest of SAD leader's daughter: Held Kanchanpreet over gangster links, say police

The Tarn Taran police have claimed that SAD leader Sukhwinder Kaur Randhawa’s daughter Kanchanpreet Kaur was held as part of efforts to bust the criminal network run by her “Canada-based gangster husband Amritpal Bath”.

Randhawa was the SAD candidate for the Tarn Taran bypoll held recently.

Kanchanpreet had drawn public and political attention following a series of criminal cases registered against her during the election period.

During the bypoll, four cases were filed against 32-year-old Kanchanpreet, mainly related to allegations of criminal intimidation and violations of the model code of conduct. Beyond the election-related cases, she faces another case involving allegations of using a fake passport, adding a more serious legal dimension to her situation. This case was lodged at the Amritsar’s Majitha police station.

The authorities have alleged that she entered India illegally via the Nepal border, bypassing immigration checks. Kanchanpreet was arrested by the Tarn Taran police when she visited the Majitha police station to join investigation in the passport-related case.

Initially, the Tarn Taran police did not share why she was arrested.

Later in a late-night video statement, Tarn Taran DSP Sukhbir Singh referred to Kanchanpreet as the “wife of Canada-based gangster Amritpal Bath” and alleged that she aided criminal activities of his gang.

The DSP said Kanchanpreet was arrested as part of efforts to “bust the criminal network” run by Bath.

The police said Kanchanpreet was arrested in connection with an FIR registered at the Jhabal police station against the gangster, who was booked for criminal intimidation during the bypoll campaigning.

Bath also faces over two dozen cases, including murder, attempt to murder and charges under the UAPA.

“There was no political motive behind her arrest,” the DSP added.

Earlier, SAD had named her as a covering candidate for her mother in the bypoll.

Though her affidavit submitted during the bypoll as a covering candidate did not mention whether she was married or unmarried, the Punjab Police and Opposition political leaders claimed her to be the gangster’s wife.

AAP leaders, including Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, had alleged that the SAD had given ticket to a gangster’s mother-in-law without naming Bath.

Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring had alleged that Bath was Sukhwinder’s son-in-law. On Saturday, ruling AAP’s Punjab chief spokesperson and former Cabinet minister Kuldeep Dhaliwal alleged that arrest of a ‘gangster’s wife’ exposed disturbing details of how gangsters and the SAD operated hand-in-hand.

In a video message recorded prior to appearing before the Majitha police, Kanchanpreet expressed faith in the judicial process and hoped for justice. She had also claimed of obtaining anticipatory bail in the election-related cases. Virsa Singh Valhota, a senior SAD leader, rejected the passport-related charges against her.

He said she had been in the country since April and campaigning for her mother.

“Till the election, the police did not know she had arrived illegally. Why she was targeted in the election only? She was targeted because the SAD was getting a major support in the election,” he claimed.