Punjab polls: Two candidates booked for concealing their proclaimed offender status

Two candidates contesting Punjab assembly elections have been booked for concealing information about being proclaimed offenders while filing nomination papers.

Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra alias Harmeet Singh Dhillon from Sanaur constituency in Patiala and Mohammad Shakeel from Malerkotla constituency have been booked under section 125 A of Representation of the People Act, 1951 and various sections of Indian Penal Code for hiding the information in nomination papers.

"An FIR has been filed on Thursday against Pathanmajra after receiving a complaint that he was declared Proclaimed Offender (PO) on July 2, 2019, by a court of Barnala. He, however, furnished false information in Form 26A (Affidavit) while filing the nomination," said S Karuna Raju, Chief Electoral Officer Punjab.

"The District Election Officer and Senior Superintendent of Police during separate investigations found this complaint true and an FIR was registered," he said.

Shakeel has been booked under sections 193/199 of the IPC and 125A Representation of People Act, at Police Station City-1 Malerkotla.

"Shakeel was declared PO on December 13, 2019. He was also arrested in that case. During a probe by Returning Officer, it has been found that Mohammad Shakeel son of Mohammad Ruldu did not disclose about his PO status," Raju said.

The CEO said that under Section 125A of the Representation Act, 1950, a violator may get imprisonment up to three months or penalty or both. While under sections 193 and 199 of the Indian Penal Code there is a provision of punishment of three to seven years along with penalty.

Punjab will go to the polls on February 20 and the counting of votes will take place on March 10.

(ANI)

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