Lawyers who exposed Anil Joshi dual vote in trouble

AMRITSAR: It's raining trouble for two Amritsar lawyers who had brought out the "dual voter status" of Punjab local bodies minister Anil Joshi and several of his family members. Advocate Sandeep Gorsi was charged in an attempt to murder case while his colleague Vaneet Mahajan was seriously injured in a broad daylight attack on Saturday.

On Friday, a court had issued bailable warrants against Joshi and his kin.

Amritsar police commissioner J S Aulakh confirmed that police had registered a case under Section 307 of the IPC against Gorsi on Friday night. "There was a complaint against him and we have begun investigations," said the commissioner.

Vaneet, who is admitted in a hospital, told TOI that Gorsi was booked for attempt to murder on the basis of a complaint by Rakesh Bhardwaj, former PA of Joshi. "Bhardwaj told the police that he was going along with his friend Vishal on Friday night when Sandeep and Amritsar municipal councillor Gurinder Rishi of the Congress tried to run their car over them."

After addressing a press conference on Saturday, when Vaneet was travelling his vehicle along with his brother Avnish Mahajan, his car was intercepted by three vehicles and he was attacked with swords, sustaining injuries. "A BJP councillor was also sitting in one of the cars that stopped us," he said.

Commissioner Aulakh said, "We are registering a case and will take action on the basis of Vaneet's statement."

Vaneet alleged he and Gorsi were being targeted since they had to depose against Joshi in three cases in the court on May 12. "Joshi does not want us to appear in the court, that's why Gorsi has been booked in an attempt to murder case and I have been attacked," he alleged.

Meanwhile, former Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh, the Congress candidate for the Amritsar parliamentary constituency, condemned the murderous assault on Vaneet and registration of an FIR against Gorsi. He said, "It cannot just be a coincidence that a false case is registered against one of the complainants while another is attacked and seriously injured at the same time."

Amarinder said it was a clear case of political vendetta and warned the police officials responsible for the alleged victimization not to blindly follow the diktats of their Akali-BJP bosses. He said, "This also reflects the frustration within the ruling alliance over the imminent electoral results which are going to be a slap on their face."

He also demanded immediate registration of case against the culprits responsible for the murderous attack on Mahajan. Amariinder said, "The attackers must be immediately arrested. Even the FIR against Gorsi should be cancelled immediately, failing which Congress will launch massive protests in the city. Gorsi was instrumental in exposing the BJP minister Anil Joshi who has now been cornered in the case of dual votes and virtually has no defence."

Amarinder said Congress would resort to all lawful means to ensure that none of the party leaders and workers, particularly those who had confronted the wrongdoings of the SAD-BJP leaders and ministers, was victimized.

Denying any role in the cases, Joshi told TOI over phone, "I was in Chandigarh when the incident happened, and have nothing to do with it. The lawyers are trying to malign my image at someone's instance. They blame me for everything that happens in Amritsar."