Ex-Minister Harsh Dev Singh booked for threatening, using abusive language against two senior officers in Udhampur

By Web Desk On Jul 24, 2018

Srinagar, July 24 (GNS): Police has filed a criminal case against the former minister Harsh Dev Singh for misbehaving and threatening two senior officers in Udhampur district after he and his scores of activists barged inside the DC office yesterday.

Acting on the written complaint filed by the Deputy Commissioner Udhampur with the concerned police station, the police have registered a criminal case against the Chairman of the Panthers Party and ex-Minister Harsh Dev Singh.

“A case FIR number 366/2018 under Sections 353, 188, 147, 148, 504 RPC has been registered against Harsh Dev Singh and others at Police Station Udhampur for threatening and using abusive language and obstructing the IAS Officer Ravinder Kumar from performing his duties as district magistrate while reviewing election preparedness”, an official said.
The case FIR was registered late this night after DC Udhampur Ravinder Kumar forwarded a written complaint against Harsh Dev Singh and others, who allegedly forced their entry into his office and misbehaved with the officers present there besides obstructing official work.

In the meantime, Harsh Dev, also shouted and hurled abuses besides threatened the SSP who was attending the meeting in the District Magistrate’s office.

The incident of heated argumens by Harsh Dev who along with dozens of activists barged inside the DC office and created uproar which disrupted the ongoing meeting with regard to the preparations of Panchayat elections.

A video of the scene also went viral on social media where in a large number of netizens questioned the ex-minister’s behavior and urged the governor-led-administration to take tough action against Harsh Dev.

Besides it, the eminent residents of Udhampur also came in full support for the two senior officers including Deputy Commissioner Ravinder Kumar and SSP Udhampur Rayees Mohd Bhat while demanding stringent action against the Harsh Dev.

According to DDC Ravinder Kumar, around 70-80 Panthers Party activists, led by Harsh Dev Singh, Balwant Mankotia, and others, forced their entry into his office and not only obstructed the official work but also misbehaved with SSP Udhampur, who was also present in the meeting.

“Even as I repeatedly asked them (Harsh Dev Singh and Panthers Party activists) to go out and behave properly, they lost temper and started abusing the SSP without any provocation,” Ravinder Kumar had said.

Maintaining that the action of Panthers Party leader was highly objectionable and not to be condoned, the DC informed that he has forwarded a written complaint in this regard to the concerned Police Station for registration of FIR under the relevant sections.

“Besides, I am also going to ban entry of these Panthers Party leaders in the office of Deputy Commissioner, where Section 144 already stands imposed,” he further had said.

Pertinently, few earlier FIRs already stand registered against the NPP leaders and workers, including one for a clash with BJP workers where both parties were booked earlier this year and another for violating section 144 last year which had been imposed by the DM. (GNS)