Congress MLA Hardev Singh Laddi Sherowalia and others after the victory in Shahkot bye-election, in Jalandhar. (Express photo)
In less than a month after his winning Shahkot assembly constituency bye-election, the case of illegal mining and theft against Congress MLA Hardev Singh Laddi Sherowalia, who was booked on May 4 after getting Congress ticket on May 3, has been cancelled.
An FIR number 52 was lodged by the then Station House Officer (SHO) Mehatpur, Parminder Singh Bajwa, under section 21 of Mines and Mineral Development and Regulation Act, 1957 and u/s 379 of IPC at 4:26 am on Friday morning against Laddi, Surjit Singh Thekedaar, of Kotli Kamboj village and Amarinder Singh Neetu of Malsian.
SSP Jalandhar (Rural) Gurpreet Singh Bhullar confirmed about the cancellation of FIR. He said that thorough probe was conducted in this case at every spot mentioned in the FIR before cancellation.
Secretary general of Brick Kiln Labour Union (CPIM) and resident of Malrhi village, Mohan Singh, had written a complaint to the Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab, with a copy to DEO Jalandhar and SSP Rural Jalandhar on May 3 against the Laddi and two more persons. In the complaint, Mohan Singh alleged that Laddi through his men has been indulged in rampant illegal mining in village Kaimwala’s Panchayat land at a large scale. He also alleged that Surjit Singh and Amarinder Singh are also indulgled with Sherowalia.
He also mentioned the names of ‘Khadds’ (quarries) specifically in the FIR as well and said, “Sherowalia through his men has been indulged in rampant illegal mining in village Kaimwala’s Panchayat land at a large scale and at several other villages including Rapur Gujjran, Gawusuwal, Chhelia, Baloki, Bedhewal, Khulrapur, Chakk Bahmania, Pipli Maini, Umarwal Billa and Gagg Dhagara. In his complaint, he also mentioned that Gagg Dhagara quary and Kaimwala Qaurries are allegedly running on illegal Khasra Number (land document with proper number).
However, in the FIR, it was also mentioned that due to bye-election, the matter could be politically motivated and the case is being investigated. “If accused in this are found guilty, they will not be spared and proper action will be taken after their arrest and presenting them in the court. If the allegations were found false then the case would be cancelled,” the FIR read.
Laddi had won Shahkot bye-election on May 31 defeating a SAD candidate. Congress managed to win this seat only for the second time and that too with the highest margin ever since 1977.