AAP patronised the Lalpura and allotted ticket even when five criminal cases were pending against him
TARN TARAN: A local court in Punjab’s Tarn Taran will today pronounce the sentence of convicted Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA from Khadoor Sahib, Manjinder Singh Lalpura, and six others in a 12-year-old case of molestation and assault of a local woman belonging to a Scheduled Caste community.
The notorious MLA Lalpura allegedly having links with drug cartels was arrested after the court convicted him in the molestation and assault case. He was often blamed by opposition parties for protecting drug smugglers. AAP patronised and gave party ticket to Lalpura even when the molestation and four more serious criminal cases were registered against him.
Lalpura was a taxi driver when the 2013 incident took place at a wedding hall in Tarn Taran, when the woman was allegedly caned by the Tarn Taran city police and the other accused, including Lalpura. She was reportedly molested during the police assault.
The case drew widespread public outrage at the time. The Supreme Court took suo motu cognisance of the incident, directing paramilitary security for the woman, her cousin, who was an eyewitness, and their families, as well as the sarpanch of her village.
On March 19, 2013, the Punjab and Haryana High Court ordered the immediate transfer of seven policemen involved in the case, and directed security arrangements for the victim and her family, while strongly criticising the conduct of the police.
Lalpura, along with 10 others, was facing trial under sections 506 (criminal intimidation), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 188 (disobedience to order promulgated by public servant), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons), 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), and 283 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
According to his election affidavit, Lalpura has five criminal cases registered against him, four in Tarn Taran and one in Bathinda. These include charges of criminal intimidation, assault on women, rioting, disobedience of lawful orders, and causing hurt.