Ramkrishan Upadhyay
Chandigarh, October 5
Additional Sessions Judge Jaibir Singh has acquitted alleged gangster Gurjit Singh, alias Lada, arrested in a six-year-old kidnapping and ransom case after the prosecution failed to prove charges.
The case was registered on the complaint of a real estate businessman, Harminder Bajaj, on September 21, 2016. Bajaj, a resident of Sector 35, said he was returning home from his brother’s medical shop. Three persons blocked his way with their car around 9 pm. He said introducing themselves as CBI officials, two of them entered his vehicle. They pushed him into their car and one of them pointed a gun at his back. The third accused drove away his car.
The realtor told the police that the kidnappers demanded a ransom of Rs 10 crore. They agreed to release him after getting Rs 40 lakh when he pleaded that he could not arrange such a huge amount instantly. The kidnappers collected the amount outside the house of his partner in Mohali. They released Bajaj near Chappar Chiri. Bajaj found his car at some distance. He drove back to his house and narrated the incident to the police. After finding a prima facie case, charges were framed against the accused. Snehpreet Singh, counsel for the accused, argued that they were falsely implicated. The identity of the accused was not proved by the prosecution. Even the forensic report also failed to prove the fingerprints of the accused on the complainant’s vehicle. No witness proved the involvement of the accused. He said four employees of the bank were not examined by the prosecution to prove the alleged withdrawal of money. After hearing the arguments, the court acquitted the accused.
