SAD leader arrested for ‘raping’ widow, party alleges frame-up

Aman Sood
Tribune News Service
Patiala, January 10

Shiromani Akali Dal leaders held a dharna in protest against the arrest of Harvinder Singh Harpalpur, nephew of MP Prem Singh Chandumajra. Harpalpur is accused of raping and cheating a widow, who has also alleged threat to her life.

Harpalpur, who had been booked in November 2018, was absconding. “He was arrested this morning from his house after we received information that he was hiding there,” said the police.

Meanwhile, SAD workers, led by Prem Singh Chandumajra, held a protest, alleging that the entire case was “politically fabricated”.

A widow from Ghanaur had in November alleged “threat to her life and children” after she pressed charges of rape and cheating against Harpalpur. The police on November 2 registered an FIR pertaining to rape, cheating and conspiracy against Harpalpur.

As per the FIR, the 40-year-old victim, who is uneducated and got 13 bighas of land in Ghanaur village after the death of her husband, wanted to get the land transferred in her name. “Former sarpanch of Baghora village Jasvir Singh and Harpalpur took my thumb impression on some documents on the pretext of getting my work done,” she had alleged.

“Once I gave them the documents with my thumb impression, they asked for sexual favours to get the work done. When I denied their offer, they refused to return my documents, following which I accepted the demand,” the victim alleged.