Ludhiana: Cops file chargesheet against Bittu, Ashu, 2 others for locking MC office
A case was registered under sections 353, 186 and 149 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at the division number 1 police station on February 28 last year
The police on Saturday filed chargesheet against Union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu, former cabinet minister and senior Congress leader Bharat Bhushan Ashu, district Congress president Sanjay Talwar and former deputy mayor Sham Sundar Malhotra for locking municipal corporation (MC) zone A office in February last year.
Bittu, a Congress leader at the time of incident, had put a lock on the main gate of the office on February 27, 2024, in protest over what he said was state government’s ‘failure’ to provide ₹1,000 pension to women and ₹2,500 to widows.
The chargesheet accuses the leaders of unlawful assembly, obstructing government work and criminal intimidation. According to the chargesheet, the accused disturbed law-and-order and MC operations.
In the challan, police have cited video evidence showing the leaders slamming locks on the office and taking away the key. The chargesheet notes that MC employees attempted to remove the lock, but the accused resisted, leading to further disruptions.
Police confirmed that all evidence, including videos and witness statements, has been compiled in the chargesheet and the accused leaders are expected to appear in a local court soon.
A case was registered under sections 353, 186 and 149 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at the division number 1 police station on February 28 last year. Bittu, Ashu and other leaders were arrested on March 5, 2024, when they produced themselves at the police commissioner’s office, asking to be arrested. They were released on bail the next day.
Bittu later changed his allegiance to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He lost the Lok Sabha elections on a BJP ticket from Ludhiana and was named as the Union minister of state for railways. He was later elected as a Rajya Sabha member from Rajasthan.
According to police, the chargesheet has been filed against four accused but the case names at least 60 people. Polcie said they found strong evidence against these four accused who were leading the protest.
