Tarn Taran, 12 September (). The Tarn Taran court of Punjab sentenced Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Manjinder Singh Lalpura to four years on Friday. He has been sentenced in a 12 -year -old case of assault and molestation of a Dalit woman. The incident took place on 3 March 2013, when Lalpura used to be a taxi driver.
The court convicted him on 10 September. One of the 12 accused convicted in the case has died, while eight were arrested.
In 2013, a woman from SC community, Harbinder Kaur Usma, went to a wedding venue of Tarn Taran to attend her sister’s wedding ceremony.
It is alleged that a group of taxi drivers who arrived at the wedding venue, in which Lalpura were the main accused, disputed not to vacate the place. After this, the team of Tarn Taran police reached the spot, but they also lashed sticks on the victim and her family.
After the video went viral, the Supreme Court took automatic cognizance of the victim, her cousin (witness) and the family to protect the paramilitary forces.
The police registered the case under Section 354 (attack with the woman with the intention of dissolving the dignity of the woman), 323 (voluntarily hurt), 506 (criminal intimidation), 148 (armed riot) under the SC/ST Act.
The victim’s lawyer Amit Dhawan told reporters that after the sentence, Lalpura has been sent to Patti sub-jell. He said, “The victim was fighting for justice for 13 years. During this time she also received threats of death. Today she has received justice.”
The victim woman Harbinder Kaur said, “I am happy that justice is done. Hopefully the convict will get strict punishment so that such incidents do not happen in future.” After this decision of the court, Lalpura’s legislature is facing a crisis.
Indeed, membership on punishment more than two years may end. In the 2022 elections, he defeated Ramanjit Singh Sikka of Congress by 16,491 votes. There are already five criminal cases against him.
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SCH/VC
