Sarpanch among six booked for extorting money from commuters
The action followed after a video went viral on social media in which three individuals could be seen forcing a cab driver to pay ₹200 to pass through the village
A village sarpanch and five other persons in Patiala district have been booked for extorting money from the commuters who were passing through the village, which is an alternative route after the main road between Punjab and Haryana border is blocked by the protesting farmers.

The accused, identified as Baljinder Singh (sarpanch), Harmanpreet Singh and Harvinder Singh, along with three unknown persons have been booked under Section 308 (2) (extortion) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at police station, Julkan.
As per reports, the villagers had set up a checkpoint near a bridge over Ghaggar in Maru village and were collecting money from commuters for using the road.
Police swung into action after the video of a taxi driver being asked to pay ₹200 for plying his vehicle on the route went viral on social media. HT cannot independently verify the veracity of the video.
In the video, the taxi driver was stopped and asked to either pay up or take his taxi from some other route.
Patiala senior superintendent of police (SSP), Nanak Singh, on Friday, said that cops have booked the accused and have started the investigation into the matter. “The role of the village panchayat would also be examined as the villagers, in the viral video, can be heard claiming that the decision to collect money from was taken by it.”
“The collection of money is illegal. We will make sure such a thing is not repeated in future,” the SSP added.
Meanwhile, sarpanch Baljinder Singh confirmed that the money was being collected as heavy vehicles, including SUVs and trucks, have damaged the village roads.
“Owing to a heavy flow of traffic due to diversion, roads and bridges in and around the village have been damaged. We had approached the farmer leaders to provide a solution and requested them to open the national highway,” he said.
The sarpanch added that it was villagers who came up with the idea to collect money from the vehicles playing on village roads, and a committee was formed to look into it. “Meanwhile, some villagers started taking toll tax from the commuters. However, it was not mandatory. No one was forced to pay it. Commuters were asked to pay as per their convenience,” Baljinder added.
