Highway robbery ‘fabricated’; victim, assailants booked

What began as a complaint of a Rs 2.15-lakh highway robbery near Koharwala village has taken a new turn, with both the alleged victim and assailants now booked as accused in the case.

Three days after vegetable vendor Kulwant Singh reported that four men, impersonating as police officers, had robbed him on a deserted rural road, the police revealed that the robbery claim was fabricated. According to the police, the story was allegedly concocted by the vendor to “teach a lesson” to four youths — including a serving police constable — who had stopped and harassed him.

Faridkot SSP Pragya Jain said the four accused — Ranjit Singh, Gurdeep Singh, Gurjit Singh and constable Harwinder Singh — had intercepted Kulwant’s vehicle, posing as police personnel conducting a narcotics search. Although no money was taken, the vendor was left shaken by the incident. After noting the vehicle number, Kulwant Singh and his friend Rajwinder Singh allegedly decided to file a false complaint of a Rs 2.15-lakh robbery to ensure swift police action. Acting on the complaint, the police registered an FIR under stringent provisions and arrested all four youths. However, during interrogation, it emerged that no cash had been robbed.