Court frames charges against Bains, Cong leader

A court here today framed charges under various IPC sections, including murder, against the Lok Insaaf Party (LIP) chief, a Congress leader and seven others in a 2009 assault case on a revenue officer.
Additional Sessions Judge Sonia Kinra framed charges against LIP chief and sitting MLA Simarjit Singh Bains, Congress leader Kamaljit Singh Karwal and seven other accused.
Karwal, a former Akali leader, had unsuccessfully contested the last Assembly polls against Bains from Atam Nagar seat.
The LIP is an ally of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab.
At the time of incident in 2009, Bains and Karwal were close aides and both represented Akali Dal but later they parted their ways.

The court also dismissed the application of the accused for dismissal of the case and ordered framing of charges.
The next hearing in the case has been fixed for July 4.
The then Akali councillor Karwal, Bains and seven others were accused of launching a murderous attack on a Sub- registrar (Central), Tehsildar Major G S Benipal in Ludhiana in 2009, his counsel Hardial Singh said.