Police books Jathedar Balwant Singh Nandgarh’s wife in “fraud” case

Talwandi Sabo: A few days after the unceremonious dismissal of Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar Balwant Singh Nandgarh, his wife was yesterday (on Jan. 31) booked for cheating on the orders of Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate, Talwandi Sabo, Sucheta Ashishdev.

Media reports say that a naib tehsildar, kanungo and a patwari are among 14 persons who are named in the FIR along with Bibi Sukhdev Kaur wife of Giani Balwant Singh Nandgarh wife of former Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar.

Giani Balwant Singh Nandgarh [File Photo]

The Tribune (TT) notes that the case was registered at the Talwandi Sabo police station on January 27 on a local court’s directions. A complaint was lodged by Amarjeet Kaur, wife of Teja Singh of Talwandi Sabo, on May 15 last year.

In her complaint, Amarjeet Kaur had accused the former jathedar’s wife of fraudulently transferring her 14-marla plot situated on the Rama Road in Talwandi Sabo in her name in connivance with revenue officials.

Though the complaint had been lying pending with the senior district administrative officials for a long time, the final nod to register the FIR was given by the court on January 27.

Giani Balwant Singh Nandgarh’s wife Sukhdev Kaur, patwari Jaspal Singh, naib tehsildar Satwant Dhillon, kanungo Inder Singh, local resident Sheela Devi, her sons Surjit Singh and Satish and daughters Krishna Rani, Veerpal Kaur, Paramjeet Kaur, Darshna Devi and Anju Rani are among those booked under Sections 420, 465, 467, 468, 471, 408, 506 and 120-B of the IPC.

Giani Balwant Singh Nandgarh had taken an open stand against activities of Rashtriya Sikh Sangat, a controversial “Sikh wing” of Hindutva fountainhead Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS). He had also favoured implementation of Nankshahi Calendar and opposed SGPC and Sant Samaj’s move to turn Sikh calendar into Hindu Bikrami Calendar. He was removed by the SGPC executive in an “unceremonial” manner. It is believed that police and civil administration are harassing him as per wishes of political high-ups in Punjab government.