Moga cops under scanner for ‘wrongful’ confinement

The registration of a criminal case of wrongful confinement against four unidentified persons by the Faridkot police has brought the Moga police under sharp scrutiny.

The case pertains to Kuldip Singh (28), an electrician from Sarawan village, who was allegedly taken away from his house on the evening of September 23 by four men in an unregistered black car.

According to the complaint of Kuldip Singh’s father, Gurmail Singh, the men called Kuldip out of his house, forced him into the vehicle, and drove away. His phone was switched off soon after, leaving his family clueless about his whereabouts for three days.

The family and village panchayat allege that Kuldip was illegally confined at the Fatehgarh Panjtoor police station in Moga, where he was tortured and released only after a ransom of Rs 50,000 was paid to his “kidnappers”. Initially, they claimed that a demand of Rs 2 lakh was made, which was later settled at Rs 50,000.

Kuldip told villagers that he was blindfolded inside the police station to prevent him from identifying the location. He was allegedly questioned about the whereabouts of a man for whom he had earlier stood surety.

Sukhwinder Singh, SHO of the Bajakhana police station in Faridkot, said neither the police were informed about taking Kuldip Singh into custody nor any required entry was made, both of which were mandatory.

The incident has sparked anger in Sarawan and adjoining villages, where panchayats have demanded that the FIR be amended to name the police personnel accused of wrongful confinement and extortion.

Meanwhile, the Moga police have initiated an internal inquiry. Kuldip Singh and his family have been summoned to record their statements.

However, SP (H) Moga Sandeep Singh refused to comment on the matter and SSP Moga Ajay Gandhi did not respond to calls or messages.