Congress Worker at Centre of Bathinda Slogan Row Booked in NDPS and Abetment Cases

A Congress worker who raised slogans in support of former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi during the party’s 'Har Booth, Congress Mazboot' programme in Goniana Mandi, Bathinda district, has come into the spotlight after it emerged that he is facing two criminal cases, including one under the NDPS Act. The worker has been identified as Kamaldeep Singh, a resident of Fatehpur village in Mansa district. According to the available information, the 23-year-old is facing two criminal cases, one of which is registered under the NDPS Act in connection with the alleged recovery of 506 grams of heroin. However, Kamaldeep’s father, Sukhpal Singh, the village lambardar of Fatehpur, has claimed that both cases registered against his son are false. Speaking to The Tribune on Tuesday, Sukhpal Singh said his son was booked in an NDPS case at Talwandi Sabo police station in May last year while he was travelling to Bathinda. He alleged that police implicated his son and others in a case involving the alleged recovery of 506 grams of heroin. He further said that nearly two months ago, Kamaldeep was also named in a case registered by Jhuneer Police in Mansa district for allegedly abetting a person to die by suicide. According to Sukhpal Singh, the matter is at the stage of being quashed. He added that his son is currently out on bail and maintained that the family's reputation in the village remains intact. He also said the family runs a clothing shop in Jhuneer, Mansa district. Sukhpal Singh stated that his family has been associated with the Congress party for a long time and noted that his father had served as the village sarpanch for several years. He added that his son is a supporter of Bikram Singh Mofar, although there had been differences between them in the past. He said he did not believe Kamaldeep had done anything wrong by raising slogans in favour of Charanjit Singh Channi during the Bathinda party programme. Sukhpal Singh also claimed that his son had attended a similar Congress event in Mansa on Sunday, where he was reportedly asking people not to engage in arguments. He alleged that Kamaldeep is now being portrayed as someone who argued with Channi supporters, which he denied. Meanwhile, Fatehpur village Sarpanch Mandar Singh said Kamaldeep’s family enjoys a good reputation in the village but declined to comment on the criminal cases registered against him. The slogan-shouting incident took place during the Congress programme at Goniana Mandi when some party workers seated near the stage began raising slogans in support of Charanjit Singh Channi. Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring responded by encouraging them to continue and invited Kamaldeep onto the stage to raise slogans in Channi’s favour. Following this, Raja Warring asked Kamaldeep to dial Channi’s phone number in front of the gathering. After two calls went unanswered, Warring asked the young worker to take his personal phone number and contact him whenever required. The episode comes at a time when factionalism within the Punjab Congress has been drawing attention, with supporters of Charanjit Singh Channi and Raja Warring raising slogans against each other during several recent party programmes across the state.