10 days on, city STF chief booked for ‘assaulting’ lawyer

Ludhiana: More than a week after lawyers took to the roads in protest against the alleged assault on a city-based advocate by Ludhiana STF in-charge Harbans Singh, Sadar Khanna police registered a case against him and three other cops early on Thursday.
Importantly, inspector Harbans has also been transferred to Ferozepur.
The police have also lodged a cross FIR in the case against advocate Varun Gupta for alleged assault and use of criminal force to deter public servant from discharging his duty among other sections.
Harbans along with other cops — identified as constable Navkamaljot Singh, senior constable Gurwinder Singh and home guard Jaswant Singh — were booked under Sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (wrongful restraint), 506 (criminal intimidation), 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 27 of the Arms Act.
The development comes days after Punjab and Haryana high court intervened into the matter, following a petition by Varun, who had alleged threat to his life and accused cops of trying to destroy the evidence.
In his complaint filed on February 25, Gupta had claimed that the incident had occurred when he along with his paralytic father was returning to the city after dropping his brother and nephew at Delhi airport. At around 5am, a Hyundai I20 car had started following their vehicle.
“I made a complaint at police helpline number at around 5.10 am. We stopped for refilling diesel in our Innova. While we were leaving the petrol pump, another car came in front of us and blocked our way near Doraha,” the advocate had alleged. “Four persons in civil clothes came out of the car and started thrashing me after dragging me out of my vehicle,” he had further claimed.
Varun had alleged that even after he told them that he was an advocate and a law-abiding citizen, they continued to slap and punch him. Soon, more persons, claiming to cops in civil clothes, arrived at the spot in another car.
He claimed that even though he pleaded before the cops not to bother his father, inspector Harbans threatened to implicate him in a false case if he raises his voice. Later when he returned to Ludhiana, he got his medico legal report (MLR) done and made a formal complaint against the cops, but no action was taken.
Meanwhile, cops have another version of the incident based on which they lodged a cross FIR against the advocate.
In his complaint, constable Navkamaljot Singh, who was accompanying Harbans Singh, said acting on a tip-off, they stopped a canter near Gurdwara Manji Sahab to check if it was carrying banned medical drugs. But the cops grew suspicious as someone indicated that the suspects might be travelling in an Innova.
When they reached near a dhaba, they found the Innova parked in the parking lot. He also said that they found two suspicious persons standing near the entrance of kitchen. The complainant said one of them, Varun Gupta, was engaged in some conversation over phone. When the the STF in-charge asked him to hand over the phone for checking, the person refused to do so and allegedly used foul language against them. Thereafter the STF in-charge told the constable, home guard Jaswant Singh and Gurwinder to be stationed at the dhaba. During this period, Varun even used foul language and pushed him leading to his fall, Navkamaljot further alleged.
Varun has been booked under Sections 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 186 (Obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions) of the IPC. Baljinder Singh, SHO, Sadar police station, said the case is being investigated and necessary action will be taken after the probe.
Box: Meanwhile senior officials said the orders for transfers of STF in-charge Harbans Singh were issued on Wednesday. IG STF Snehdeep Sharma confirmed that Harbans was transferred to Ferozepur on Wednesday. Following the complaint, a magisterial inquiry had been launched into the matter.