Ahead the crucial Gurdaspur lok Sabha bye-election, senior Shiromani Akali Dal leader Sucha Singh langah was on Friday booked on charges of rape, extortion and cheating on a complaint by a woman government employee. langah brushed aside the charges saying it was a “classic example of political vendetta”.
langah, a former Minister and SAD’s Gurdaspur district unit chief, was booked by the Gurdaspur police on charges of rape after a widow complained that he had repeatedly raped her since 2009.
The development has come as a major setback for the SAD-BJP combine ahead of October 11 bypoll. The coalition has already raising its voice against “vendetta” cases against its senior leaders and workers by the ruling Congress in the wake of elections.
A case under Sections 376 (rape), 384 (extortion), 420 (cheating) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the
Indian Penal Code (IPC) was registered against langah at the Gurdaspur city police station.
According to the FIR, langah was booked after the Deputy District Attorney gave his opinion and a senior officer had probed the allegations.
Police sources said the woman attached a video clipping along with her police complaint to substantiate her claim.
She alleged that langah cheated her by selling off her properties and extorted money from her.
Gurdaspur Senior Superintendent of Police Harcharan Singh Bhullar said that an enquiry had been marked into the complaint following which the ex-Minister was booked.
Reacting to the case, langah said it was a classic example of political vendetta perpetuated at the most political opportune moment when the byelection of the Gurdaspur Parliamentary constituency is under way.
“I have contested 5 elections from the assembly constituency part of the Gurdaspur Parliamentary constituency. The political witch hunt has started on the announcement of Grdaspur bye election,” he said in a statement issued here.
The Akali leader said he along with party colleagues met DGP on August 8 and complained against 7 SHOs who have registered more than 200 false cases against the workers and the leaders of the party.
“Since then the state machinery and particularly the district police is hell bent on framing me in false cases in order to please their political bosses,” he alleged.
He said the complainant is an employee of Punjab Police and on the most bizarre and unbelievable allegations, in tearing haste, within few hours the FIR was registered.
“The complaint itself was made to the SSP yesterday. Enquiry marked, conducted within hours and a report submitted. Even the opinion sought and given within a matter of minutes and in the wee hours of today the false FIR has been registered,” he claimed.
langah alleged that this was premeditated and stage managed with a desperate attempt to try and win the forthcoming by-election.
“I have full faith in judiciary. Therefore I am submitting to the process of law by surrendering in the court. I have firm belief that truth will come out and justice will be done to me,” he added.
