Mohali, Nov 12 AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal and his daughter Harshita have allegedly received death threats and an extortion demand of Rs 7 crore from a person claiming to be from the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, following which Punjab Police registered a case.
Delhi AAP MLA Jarnail Singh lodged a complaint with Mohali police, which registered the case on November 7 under relevant sections of the BNS and the Information and Technology Act.
In his complaint, Singh claimed he received both a call and a message on WhatsApp on November 6 from an individual, claiming to be a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.
The caller demanded Rs 7 crore from Kejriwal and threatened to kill him and Harshita if the money was not paid, according to the complaint which is part of the FIR.
Singh claimed the caller said, “Lawrence Bishnoi gang se bol raha hun, Arvind Kejriwal ko bol de, 7 crore de do nahin to Arvind Kejriwal or uski ladki Harshita Kejriwal ko jaan se maar dunga.” (I am speaking from the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. Tell Arvind Kejriwal that if he does not pay Rs 7 crore, then I will kill both him and his daughter.)
“Given his stature as a high-profile figure, the threat has caused national and public security risks. The sender has unlawfully used my position as an elected representative to channel extortionist demands and death threats directed at Arvind Kejriwal and his family. The acts committed by the sender constitute serious offences,” Singh wrote in his complaint.
He also requested a comprehensive investigation and to trace the CDRs, IP logs and location of the device to arrest the culprit before anything untoward happens.
Necessary coordination with relevant law enforcement and security authorities should also be initiated to ensure full protection for the targeted individuals, he said.
Punjab minister Harpal Singh Cheema, while condemning the threat, claimed that preliminary findings pointed to the “accused’s direct or indirect association with the BJP”.
“The person who issued the threat belongs to Haryana, and preliminary findings have indicated his direct or indirect links with the BJP. The BJP wants to disturb the peaceful atmosphere of Punjab and create an environment of fear and insecurity in the state,” Cheema alleged in a statement.
The case was registered under relevant sections including 308 (4) (extortion), 351 (2) (criminal intimidation), 351 (4) (criminal intimidation by anonymous communication, 111 (2) (organised crime) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the relevant section of the IT Act at the Cyber Crime Police Station in Mohali.
Cheema said Punjab is a peace-loving state, and its people understand the intentions behind such attempts to spread terror and disturb communal harmony.
Any attempt to threaten the life of a political leader and create fear among people will not be tolerated, he said.
The minister emphasised that strict legal action would be taken against the person responsible for issuing the death threat. He asserted that the matter would be dealt with firmly and in accordance with the law.
AAP Punjab chief spokesperson Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal also strongly condemned the death threat issued to Kejriwal and said, “AAP leaders are neither afraid nor will we bow down to such threats. We will not stop working for the people of Punjab and the country. Those involved in this conspiracy must be exposed before the public. Strict legal action will be taken against them and they will be sent to jail.
(PTI News)
