Tarn Taran: In a significant development, the Tarn Taran court has convicted Khadoor Sahib MLA Manjinder Singh Lalpura in connection with the 2013 Usman case involving the assault and molestation of a young woman from a Scheduled Caste family. The verdict was delivered by the Additional Sessions Judge Prem Kumar, who directed that the legislator be immediately taken into custody along with the other accused.
The incident dates back to March 4, 2013, when Harbinder Kaur Usman attended a wedding function at a local palace with her father, Kashmir Singh, and relatives. She alleged that taxi drivers present at the venue molested her and later assaulted her when she resisted. According to reports, the police also used force against her family, with video footage of the assault sparking outrage nationwide at the time. The Supreme Court later intervened, ordering security for the victim’s family.
Among those named in the case was Manjinder Singh Lalpura, who went on to win the 2022 assembly elections from Khadoor Sahib on an Aam Aadmi Party ticket. His legal counsel urged the court to show leniency in sentencing.
Around 12:05 pm, Judge Prem Kumar directed police to take the MLA and co-accused into custody. While reports suggest a possible sentence of four to five years, no official confirmation of the quantum of punishment has been issued so far.
The conviction marks a significant milestone in a decade-old case that prolonged legal proceedings, political controversy, and national attention have marred.
