Tarn Taran bypoll: SAD chief Sukhbir Badal leads dharna over 'false' FIRs against Akalis

Tarn Taran, Oct 25 (PTI) SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Saturday staged a dharna here against police for registering "false" cases against Akali workers.

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) Tarn Taran assembly bypoll candidate Sukhwinder Kaur Randhawa and senior party leaders Gulzar Singh Ranike, Alwinder Singh Pakhoke, Lakhbir Singh Lodhinangal and Ravinder Singh Brahmpura also took part in the protest.

The dharna was held a day after the SAD filed a complaint with the Punjab chief electoral officer against Tarn Taran Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ravjot Kaur Grewal, accusing her of using police to lodge "false" FIRs against the party leadership and cadre to stop them from campaigning for the Tarn Taran bypoll.

Speaking at the protest, Badal condemned Grewal's action against SAD workers and leaders.

He said Akalis are not afraid of going to jail but if a single one of them is implicated in a false case, the SAD will not let Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, ruling AAP's leaders Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia enter Tarn Taran.

"Punjabis cannot be suppressed. The more you try to muzzle them, the more strongly they bounce back," the former deputy chief minister said.

Badal said it is becoming increasingly clear that the AAP has "lost the plot and is now banking on police to influence voters".

Polling for the Tarn Taran bypoll will be held on November 11 and the results will be announced on November 14.

The seat fell vacant following the death of AAP MLA Kashmir Singh Sohal in June. PTI CHS DIV DIV