LUDHIANA: President and vice president of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) Ajmer Singh Lakhowal and Gurbachan Singh Bhamia, were arrested on the basis of a criminal case registered against them and not because they had organized the bhog ceremony of Sukhaand Jinda, assassins of former chief of the Army staff A.S.Vaidyn al gurdwara Alamgir, here last week.

The Akali circles here had created animpression that the BKU leaders were arrested for their involvement in the Dhog ceremony,

Disclosing this a spokesman of the Sangharsh Samiti of farmers told newsmen here on Oct.17 said that more than a dozen farmers had lodged a complaint with the police here alleging fraud and criminal conspiracy against some BKU activists including Lakhowal and general secretary of the union Manjit Singh Qadian.

He said that these leaders had acted as mediators to sort out a dispute between farmers and Either India Limited. These farmers had purchased tractors from this company in 198485, As the tractors were technically defective and unsuitable for operation in this state, the customers pressed upon the company to take these back and re funder their money. Under immense pressure from farmers, the company reportedly contacted the BKU leaders who had in the meantime taken up the cause of the affected farmers.

According to the samiti, the BKU leaders: pocketed: almost half the compensation amount of Rs 15.5 lakh which was to be passed on to farmers in addition to their own commission of Rs 2.5 lakh for sorting, out the dispute.

In spite of repeated demands of the affected farmers, the BKU leaders did not return the money. BRU leaders concerned have been booked under Sections 406, 420, 467, 468, 477, 120B 148 and 149 of the IPC. While Lakhowal and Bhamia were sent to judicial lockup, the BKU general secretary Qadian and two others Manmohan Singh Harras and Sukhminder Singh were still absconding.

Surinder Aggarwal, chairman Improvement Trust, laid the foundation stone of 42 three story residential flats at Ferozepur, here on Saturday. The flats will be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 2.5 crore, under the self-financing scheme. Speaking on the occasion Aggarwal said the Improvement Trust will come out with many more schemes of the kind.

Article extracted from this publication >>  October 22, 1993