Moga molestation case: Police trace five co-passengers, all deny witnessing the incident

[related-post]

All the co-passengers have expressed their ‘unwillingness’ to be a part in probe in the case.

Tarsem Singh, a horticulture officer who surfaced on the second day of the incident refused to have witnessed the incident saying he ‘saw or heard’ nothing about the molestation.

The other five other co-passengers – Vijay Kumar from Bathinda, Gagandeep Singh from Jalalabad, Paramjeet Singh from Bathinda and a couple-Jagtar Singh and Amarjeet Kaur – have also allegedly told the police to not involve them in the ‘high profile’ case and said that they too didn’t witness the incident.

Some passengers have even claimed that ‘they were sleeping’ and ‘never paid heed to what was going on at the back seats’ where the incident happened.

On May 10, the Moga police issued a public appeal requesting passengers to come forward and help them in the investigation which said,”An unfortunate incident happened in Orbit bus (PB 10 CP 1813) on April 29 and we desperately need help of co-passengers to find the facts and what exactly happened in the bus that time. We request co-passengers to please come forward and contact us through phone, e-mail or in person.”

However, the top sources from the Moga police confirmed that the appeal had no effect.

“It was a herculean task. No one wants to stick his neck in such a high profile case where deputy CM is involved. We had no other option but to trace mobile phone numbers through tower locations of time duration when incident happened. The mobile phones from which calls were made when bus left Moga bus stand, crossed toll plaza and nearby timings were traced. Now even these five passengers have clearly denied to be a part of investigation and said in their statement that they saw or heard nothing like molestation. They claim that it was only after mother and daughter fell off the bus that they came to know about it,” said a senior Moga police official.

When contacted, DSP Baghapurana Balwinder Singh confirmed that five more passengers have been identified who were traveling in the bus.

“We cannot reveal the investigation but they have come on their will. They are saying they saw or heard nothing and were sitting far away,” he said.