MC tussle: Akalis booked for abducting Cong councillor in Gidderbaha - SAD’s constituency in-charge Hardeep Singh Dhillon’s brother Sunny named as prime accused

Monday, 09/03/2015

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Bathinda : Shiromani Akali Dal’s Gidderbaha in-charge Hardeep Singh Dhillon’s brother Sunny Dhillon along with half-a-dozen of his accomplices including the local truck union president Lakhi was booked for abducting a Congress councilor of Gidderbaha on Sunday night.

The Congress councilor from Ward number 17 Narinder Munjal ‘Binta’ was allegedly abducted by the Akali activists in the afternoon to pressurise him to desert the Congress and join SAD to make the party leaders prove majority before the SDM on Monday to take reins of the local Municipal Council in hand.

However, an instantaneous intervention of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal forced the ‘ashamed’ Hardeep Singh Dhillon not only to ensure Binta’s release but also to drop him home safely.

The Congress leadership alleged that Binta was abducted by Akalis as they were finding it tough to prove the majority to form the Municipal Council by its elected members.

In the 19-member Municipal Council of Gidderbaha, the Congress had won in nine wards, the ruling SAD could get eight seats and the remaining two were Independents.

But the very next day of the results, the two independents had joined the Akali Dal that made the party tally reach 10. On the other hand, the Congress that had won nine seats is now banking upon the vote of local MLA that makes the two rival parties stand at par, with 10 votes on both sides.

According to the norms, all wiling groups have to prove the majority tomorrow before the local Sub-Divisional Magistrate.

And to ensure the SAD fold emerges stronger than the Congress, Sunny Dhillon and his men abducted the Congress councilor, alleged Gidderbaha MLA Amarinder Singh ‘Raja’ Warring.

Warring who is also the Indian Youth Congress President, addressing the gathering in Gidderbaha town claimed that immediate after learning about the abduction of Binta, he not only spoke to DC and SSP of Muktsar but also brought the matter in the knowledge of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

“It’s only after I told the CM about the criminal activity of his partymen, he directed the SSP to ensure Binta’s immediate and safe return to home,” claimed Warring.

Narrating his experience, Binta disclosed media persons that Sunny and his men had come to him and asked to sit in the vehicle.

“They took me to Dhillon’s bus workshop and after making me sit there for odd-15 minutes succumbed to some pressure dropped me home,” he added.

On the other hand, speaking to mediapersons, the SAD’s constituency in-charge Hardeep Singh Dhillon rubbished the allegations.

“My brother and Binta are friends and the two had come home together. In my presence when Sunny asked Binta if would like to join the SAD, the latter out rightly rejected. And after few minutes,

I opted to drop him home in my own vehicle,” said Hardeep.

Charging Warring for unreasonably making an issue, Hardeep said, “Ruling the Municipality is a do or die mission of us. We will form the Council only if able to prove majority.”

“And I assure there will be no pressure tactics on any of the Congress councilors to join us,” he asserted.

Speaking over phone late Sunday evening, SSP Muktsar Kuldeep Chahal confirmed that the case against Sunny Dhillon, Lakhi and few others was registered for abducting the Congress councilor under Section 365 of the IPC.

“Immediate after receiving the information, we had lodged a case against unidentified persons but as the victim has now approached us with the complaint, we have nominated the persons he alleged,” informed the SSP.