Bharat Bhushan Ashu’s nemesis ex-cop Balwinder Singh Sekhon challenges him on home turf Ludhiana West
Dismissed DSP Balwinder Singh Sekhon has filed his nomination papers from two constituencies Ludhiana West, Bharat Bhushan Ashu’s home turf, and Amritsar East from where Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPC) president Navjot Singh Sindhu is contesting the Punjab assembly elections
Former Punjab Police DSP Balwinder Singh Sekhon, who is known to be an old nemesis, of cabinet minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu, filed his nomination papers for the upcoming Punjab assembly elections on the latter’s home turf—Ludhiana West constituency.
The former cop said that he has also filed his papers from Amritsar-East constituency, where Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPC) president Navjot Singh Sindhu is contesting.
Sekhon’s nomination will pose a fresh challenge to Ashu who is already facing revolt within his party as well as from his former allies.
Sekhon was suspended by the Punjab Police in 2019, and subsequently dismissed from services in 2021, after Ashu complained against him to the then chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh in a cabinet meeting, accusing the DSP of abusing him and the government on social media sites.
Sekhon had conducted a probe into a scam pertaining to a residential project on Gill Road in Ludhiana after the then local bodies’ minister Navjot Sidhu had entrusted him with the inquiry.
Then a DSP in the local bodies department, Sekhon had accused Ashu of abusing and threatening him. An audio clip of the purported incident had also been leaked.
Sekhon had also submitted a report on illegal construction of flats with Sidhu which was leaked to the media and is said to have contained names of bureaucrats and politicians.
“My grouse is more against PPCC president Navjot Singh Sidhu. It was on his directions that I had initiated the probe. When I was suspended and subsequently dismissed from service after two years, Sidhu, who had by then become PPCC president, did nothing to support me. I will fight against the two and expose them in public domain,” said Sekhon.
Congress leaders were quick to slam Sekhon as an agent of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). “The Akali Dal is desperate for power. On Monday, terrorist Balwant Singh Rajoana was seeking votes for SAD, today the controversial cop Sekhon, who is said to be close to SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia, is trying to divert the attention of people,” said district Congress committee president Ashwani Sharma.