Jalandhar Shiv Sena leader staged own attack: Police

The two accused in the case have been arrested. Police said they were Kamboj’s friends and were the ones who fired at him.

Kamboj, too, has been booked for criminal conspiracy. He is alleged to have helped the two accused with the licence for the firearm which was used in the firing. He is also alleged to have helped the two get a second licence after the incident.

The police said the shootout was staged to enable Kamboj claim more security and an escort vehicle.

Despite repeated efforts by The Indian Express to contact Kamboj for comments, he remained unavailable. His father too was not available.

The development came three days after the appointment of ADGP, Internal Vigilance, Prabodh Kumar to investigate the six attacks on the Shiv Sena leaders in the recent past in Punjab.

Earlier, failing to obtain any clues in the case, police had announced a Rs 5 lakh award to anyone offering information about the incident.

Jalandhar police commissioner Arpit Shukla said the two accused, Gaurav Sondhi and Supinder Singh Shampy, have been arrested.

Shukla said they had admitted that the firing drama was enacted by the victim himself to get more security as well as an escort vehicle ahead of elections. They also informed that Kamboj had promised them weapon licences.

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“He had asked his friends to fire in such a manner so that there would not be much injury but he received serious injury in his leg and needed to be hospitalised,” said the police commissioner, adding that Deepak kept his promise and got issued weapon license to them in lieu of this task.

He helped them get one weapon licence before the attack for the firearm used to fire at him. The second licence was issued after the attack. Deepak Jalandhari also took Rs 80,000 from them to get them the licences, said Commissioner.

While Garuav is in a printing press business, Shampy is a property dealer. Police booked Deepak under 120 (B).

Police said an informant had been given Rs 5 lakh for providing information about the accused.