Punjab cop who booked Cong bypoll candidate arrested

A Punjab cop, who had recently booked Congress candidate for Shahkot Assembly bypoll in an illegal sand mining case, was arrested on Friday for purportedly assaulting and obstructing a government official on duty.

Station House Officer (SHO) Parminder Singh Bajwa has been sent to judicial custody.

The SHO has been in the news after he booked Congress nominee Hardev Singh Laddi Sherowalia and others for their purported involvement in illegal sand mining in the area.

On Friday, Bajwa reached the district court complex along with his advocate seeking protection, claiming a threat to life. The state police said Bajwa was arrested after he assaulted an assistant sub-inspector-rank police officer during the frisking process at the court premises. This prevented the officer from discharging his duty.

Bajwa had carried his licensed revolver to the court and tried to conceal it before the police officer on duty on being checked, the police said.

During a recent press conference, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had said that the case by the SHO against the Congress candidate was a political conspiracy, adding that the SHO was in contact with leaders of the opposition SAD and AAP before he registered a case.