Zila parishad, block samiti polls: Patiala cops lodge 6 FIRs over ‘snatching’ of papers

Under fire from Opposition parties for allegedly aiding ruling AAP in the run-up to the zila parishad and block samiti elections, the Patiala police have registered six FIRs involving accusations of the snatching and tearing of nomination papers.

The FIRs come a day after Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal released an audio clip, purportedly having a conversation between Patiala SSP Varun Sharma and other officers discussing ways to “block Opposition candidates from filing nominations”. The Tribune could not independently verify the veracity of the recording.

The SAD has submitted a written complaint to the State Election Commission, seeking the immediate suspension of the officers named in the audio and demanding a probe by the CBI, NIA or any other Central agency.

The controversy deepened on Friday when the Patiala police registered a case against an “unidentified person” caught on camera snatching papers from a woman SAD candidate in Ghanaur.

Akali Dal leader Sarabjeet Singh Jhinjer released photographs claiming the man seen fleeing with the papers was an AAP worker and photographed earlier with Ghanaur legislator Gurlal Singh.

“Despite this, police booked the accused as unidentified,” claimed Jhinjer. Repeated attempts to contact the legislator for comments were unsuccessful.

The six FIRs have been filed in different police stations. Only two accused have been identified so far.

While two cases were lodged at the Samana City police station, one each was registered in Ghanaur, Julkan, Nabha and Patiala’s Tripuri.

Sukhbir seeks case against SSP

Ludhiana: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Friday urged Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav to register a criminal case against Patiala SSP Varun Sharma for allegedly directing district police officers to “illegally detain Opposition candidates”.

“We will not sit till we make the SSP pay for taking the law on to himself. We will file a formal application against the SSP. We will strive to get a free and fair probe done into the conference call done by him to all district police officers in which he asked them to prevent Opposition candidates from reaching government offices to file their nominations by detaining them at their residence or enroute and even prevailing upon returning officers not to accept nomination papers of Opposition candidates,” he alleged.

“By doing so, the SSP has not only violated the oath of his office by acting as a stooge of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) but also the constitution. We will also approach the courts to ensure he is sent to jail as per law,” Sukhbir alleged. — TNS