Tota Singh called ‘parrot’ on FB, MLA’s PA booked
The complaints were referred to the cyber cell in Chandigarh.
Moga police on Wednesday lodged two FIRs under the IT Act against the personal assistant of an Akali MLA and two NRIs, allegedly for making and circulating a Facebook post likening Punjab Agriculture Minister Tota Singh to a parrot.
While the FIR against PA to Nihal Singh Wala MLA Rajwinder Kaur was registered at Sadar police station, the other against NRIs Rajwinder Singh Khosa and Ravi Baasi was registered at Kot Isey Khan police station. The complainant is the minister’s son Brajinder Singh alias Makhan Singh Brar, who is chairman of the government-controlled Punjab Health Systems Corporation. Brar had lodged the complaints on May 3, saying that an objectionable message was posted and circulated on Facebook against his father during the Lok Sabha election campaign.
The message, along with Tota Singh’s picture, said: “Last night, in village Talwandi Malliyan of Moga, the feathers of Jathedar Tota Singh were shredded. Tota Singh climbed on the steps of the village well to address people when a few drug addicts started demanding poppy husk. Tota replied that he was not there to distribute poppy husk, at this the addicts started shredding his feathers.” The post added: “Tota threatened villagers to be ready to face the consequences after April 30 (the polling day).” There were other references to parrot too. The complaints were referred to the cyber cell in Chandigarh. On its recommendations, the FIRs were registered.
In the first FIR, Baldev Singh Babbu from village Daudhar, who is described as ‘Personal Assistant of SAD MLA Rajwinder Kaur from Nihal Singh Wala’ is accused of writing the objectionable post. In the second FIR, NRIs Rajwinder Singh Khosa and Ravi Baasi, from
Khosa Kotla and Talwandi Malliyan respectively, are accused of circulating the objectionable post.
All have been booked under Section 67 of IT Act, 2000, which reads: “Publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form which is lascivious or appeals to the prurient interest”.
Kuljinder Singh, SHO of Sadar police station, said: “Since we have received the report from the cyber cell, the accused will be arrested soon.” Brajinder Singh said: “It is sad that such things are going on within the party, such comments on my father are intolerable.” MLA Rajwinder Kaur did not respond to calls and messages. Her PA could not be reached.
HC stays case against minister
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today stayed proceedings in a vigilance case concerning discrepancies in the recruitment of 134 clerks in the Punjab School Education Board in 2002. Punjab Agriculture minister Tota Singh, who was then the Education minister, is an accused in the case.
Justice Daya Chaudhary passed the order on a petition filed by Charanjit Singh Meelu, an accused named by Om Prakash — star witness in the case. An interim stay has been imposed on the proceedings of the trial court with directions to adjourn the case beyond the next hearing on November 28.
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