Chandigarh, February 11:
Two candidates have been booked for concealing information about being proclaimed offenders while filing nomination papers for Punjab Assembly Elections.
Divulging information, Chief Electoral Officer Punjab Dr S Karuna Raju said that an FIR no 16 dated 10-02-2022 has been registered against candidate Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra alias Harmeet Singh Dhillon from Sanaur constituency in Patiala district under section 125A of the Representation of People Act, 1950, 1951, 1989 and sections 193 and 199 of the IPC at Julkan Police Station at Sanaur, Punjab.
He said that the case was registered after receiving a complaint that Harmeet Singh was declared PO on 2.07.2019 by the court of Barnala under Section 174 of the IPC, FIR No. 509 dated 20.12.2019. He, however, furnished false information in Form 26A (Affidavit) while filing the nomination.
He said that the District Election Officer and Senior Superintendent of Police during separate investigations found this complaint true and an FIR was registered.
The CEO said that, similarly, Mohammad Shakeel, who had filed nomination papers as Independent candidate from Malerkotla constituency, has been booked under sections 193/199 of the IPC and 125A Representation of People Act, at PS City-1 Malerkotla. Shakeel has also been arrested in this case.
During a probe by RO, it has been found that Mohammad Shakeel son of Mohammad Ruldu did not disclose about his PO status.
Dr Raju said that FIR no. 32 dated 30/4/2007 under sections 307, 326, 120B and 34 was registered against Shakeel at Police Station City-2 Malerkotla and he was declared PO on 13.12.2019 by the Court in this case.
CEO said that under Section 125A of the Representation Act, 1950, 1951, 1989, a violator may get imprisonment upto three months or penalty or both. While, under IPC sections 193, 199, there is a provision of punishment of three to seven years along with penalty.
