2 weeks Ago By Shariq Majeed
Ludhiana: A Khanna man, arrested in connection with a leaked WhatsApp chat involving a group supporting jailed MP Amritpal Singh, is claiming innocence, saying he misplaced his phone two days prior to his arrest. His family, meanwhile, insists he is not guilty, while police contend he fabricated the phone loss as an alibi. The accused, Balkar Singh, a fish vendor from New Model Town, Khanna, was arrested by Moga police after allegedly participating in the controversial WhatsApp group.
His wife, Jasleen Kaur, told reporters that her husband misplaced his phone while intoxicated on Saturday. She said he attempted to file a complaint the following day, but was told to return on Monday as it was a holiday. Jasleen explained that on Monday, her husband went to the police station at 10 a.
m. to report the loss, but by 10:30 a.m.
, officers arrived at their home to arrest him without explanation. She firmly stated that her husband is innocent, emphasizing that he is not well-educated and could not have been involved in such activities. "He doesn't even know how to write his name in English," she said, urging for justice.
She also mentioned their two young children, including a three-month-old daughter, who are missing their father. Balkar's mother, Kuldeep Kaur, echoed her daughter-in-law's sentiments, expressing confusion over the situation. She added that the family had never heard of Amritpal Singh and insisted that Balkar had no prior criminal record.
However, Khanna police officials say the accused admitted to participating in the chat group. Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Jyoti Yadav noted that Balkar confessed to sending messages and is now using the phone loss as a cover. "The accused tried to create an alibi after the chat went viral on April 19," Yadav said.
Police believe Balkar discarded the phone after the messages were shared widely. They added that on April 20, he attempted to file a lost phone complaint at the Sanjh Kendra, and later filed a missing phone report. While the accused was transferred to Moga police custody, Khanna police confirmed that Balkar has no known criminal history.
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