Punjab AAP MLA Lalpura, 10 others convicted in 2013 molestation case

A court in Punjab's Tarn Taran district on Wednesday convicted AAP MLA from Khadoor Sahib, Manjinder Singh Lalpura, and 10 others in connection with the molestation and assault of a woman in 2013.

The court of additional sessions judge Prem Kumar will pronounce the quantum of sentence on September 12.

Following the conviction, the MLA and other accused were taken into custody and sent to sub-jail, Patti.

The complainant woman, who belongs to the Scheduled Caste (SC) community, was allegedly assaulted by the accused including Lalpura and some cops from the Tarn Taran police on March 3, 2013.

The incident took place when the complainant along with her family members came to a marriage venue for a wedding function.

This incident led to widespread condemnation and the Supreme Court had taken suo motu cognisance, directing paramilitary force protection for the victim and her cousin Jagjit Singh, who was an eyewitness, and her family members.

The case was registered under relevant sections, including 354 (assault or the use of criminal force against a woman with the intent to outrage her modesty), 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code and the SC/ST Act.

The other accused have been identified as Devinder Kumar, Saraj Singh, Ashwani Kumar, Tarsem Singh, Harjinder Singh, Narinderjit Singh and Gurdeep Raj (the policemen), Harwinder Singh Shoshi, Kanwaldep Singh and Gagandeep Singh, a driver. Another policeman Paramjit Singh died during the proceedings of the case.

Reacting to the conviction, the complainant told reporters that she was happy.

Lalpura had contested the 2022 Assembly elections from the Khadoor Sahib seat and defeated Congress's Ramanjit Singh Sikki.