Shahkot bypoll: AAP accuses Jalandhar (Rural) SSP of trying to shield Cong nominee, demands his transfer

The Aam Aadmi Party, which is the main opposition in Punjab, today sought the transfer of the SSP Jalandhar (Rural), accusing him of shielding a Congress nominee for Shahkot Assembly bypoll, who has been booked in an illegal sand mining case.

It claimed that according to media reports, the SSP had said that registration of the FIR was a faux pas and he would take disciplinary action against the SHO of Mehatpur police station who registered the FIR on the directions of the Election commission.

An AAP delegation, led by Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Sukhpal Singh Khaira, requested the Punjab chief electoral officer here to shift SSP of Jalandhar (Rural) ahead of the Assembly bypoll.

According to the police, a case was filed against Congress nominee Hardev Singh Laddi Sherowalia, Surjeet Singh and Ashwinder Singh yesterday for alleged illegal sand mining in different villages of Jalandhar district.

The case was registered under the Mines and Mineral (Development and Regulation Act) 1957, they said.

Khaira, in his letter to the Punjab chief electoral officer, said, "This is my complaint against SSP Jalandhar (Rural), who is blatantly shielding Shahkot Congress nominee Hardev Singh Laddi Sherowalia against whom FIR No 52 was registered for illegal mining at PS Mehatpur (Jalandhar) yesterday on the directions of ECI."