In a major turn of events in the six-month-old attempt-to-murder case in which Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De) leader Jaswant Singh Cheema had alleged that he was attacked by two bike-borne armed assailants, the investigation of Khanna police have exposed the criminal conspiracy hatched by him, along with his associate, by saying that the story of murderous attack had been concocted by him.
Cheema who was once a complainant in the case, has now been made accused for concocting the firing story. His associate has been arrested while he is absconding.
Khanna SSP Darpan Ahluwalia while addressing a press conference in Khanna stated that on January 25, Cheema, a resident of Sekhewal village, had got registered an attempt-to-murder case by saying that two bike-borne youths had allegedly fired at him.
Cheema had alleged that on January 24, he was going towards Gurthali Bridge on the main highway in his Innova, when the bike-borne youths fired at him with the intention of killing him.
Ahluwalia added that Cheema had named Guneet Bhatia, a resident of GTB Nagar, Jalandhar, and Chandan Bhanot, a resident of Guru Nanakpura, Jalandhar, as the perpetrators of this incident. During the investigation, it came to light that Cheema was in a financial dispute with the persons whose names he had named in connection with some of his properties.
Upon examining the scene of the incident as told by Cheema, no empty shell was found from the spot of firing, nor did any other person at that place confirmed the incident. The CCTV camera footage from Doraha to Ludhiana was also checked and it was found that Cheema, upon reaching Doraha, first stopped on a deserted road near Ajnaud village, during which his mobile phone was found to be switched off. After some time, Cheema, along with his accomplice Laddi Rathod, a resident of Ludhiana, came to Doraha police station to report the ‘incident’.
From the call locations obtained that day, the location of Laddi’s mobile phone was traced at his house in Ludhiana. This also raised suspicion about the matter. When Cheema was interrogated, it came to light that he had filed a similar FIR at the Salem Tabri police station, Ludhiana, earlier also.
“Guneet and Chandan were also questioned, who admitted that Cheema and his associates had done a property deal with them in collusion, and had taken crores of rupees from them. Although the deal turned out to be false, Cheema named them in the above incident to usurp their money and now he was threatening them, regarding which Guneet had presented evidence,” the SSP asserted.
After Cheema’s role came under scanner, Laddi was named as an accused and arrested in the case. During the interrogation, it came to light that Laddi and Cheema and their associates had cheated them of crores of rupees by making a false statement regarding the sale of property. When Guneet demanded the money back, Cheema himself, in collusion with his associates, fired at his vehicle from his licensed pistol, and got a false case registered. His licensed pistol, magazine and an empty shell have been seized.
Sources said that earlier Cheema had been expelled by SAD (A) after a criminal case was registered against him. Later, he joined Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De) and was made Sahnewal halqa in-charge. After today’s development, there are indications that he might face similar action.
