Chandigarh/Ropar, October 15:
In a dramatic turn of events, the Punjab Police on Wednesday evening arrested Navneet Chaturvedi, a resident of Jaipur, for allegedly forging the signatures of ten Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs to file nomination papers for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in Punjab. The arrest came after a 24-hour standoff between the Punjab and Chandigarh Police, during which both forces were stationed outside Chandigarh’s Sector 3 Police Station.
According to sources, Punjab Police officers had been camping outside the station since Tuesday night to take Chaturvedi into custody. However, the Chandigarh Police had provided security to her, citing a threat to her life, and initially refused to hand her over. The standoff continued until around 8:15 p.m. on Wednesday, when the Punjab Police finally arrested her and transported her to Ropar for questioning.
Tense Confrontation Between Punjab and Chandigarh Police
The situation reached a boiling point on Tuesday evening when the Ropar SP and DSP arrived in Chandigarh to execute the arrest. A confrontation broke out near Sukhna Lake between Inspector Narendra Patial, SHO of Sector 3 Police Station, and the Ropar SP. Witnesses said the argument escalated to such an extent that officers even drew pistols, leading to a brief but tense standoff between the two forces.
Senior officials, including Chandigarh SSP Kanwardeep Kaur, rushed to the scene to defuse the situation. Chaturvedi was then taken to the police headquarters for questioning before being returned to the Sector 3 Police Station, where the Punjab Police maintained their vigil through the night.
Forgery Allegations and Nomination Cancellation
The controversy erupted earlier this week when the Returning Officer for the Punjab Assembly summoned Navneet Chaturvedi and ten AAP MLAs whose signatures appeared on her nomination papers. During the scrutiny, all ten MLAs denied signing as proposers, prompting the Punjab Assembly Secretary, Ram Lok Khatana, to cancel her nomination.
The AAP MLAs subsequently lodged a formal complaint with the Punjab Police, alleging that Chaturvedi had forged their signatures to submit her candidacy for the Rajya Sabha elections. Acting on the complaint, the Rupnagar (Ropar) Police registered an FIR against Chaturvedi under charges of forgery and criminal conspiracy.
Following the cancellation of her nomination, only AAP candidate Rajinder Gupta and his wife Madhu Gupta, who is serving as a covering candidate, remain in the fray for the October 24 Rajya Sabha election. Madhu Gupta is likely to withdraw her nomination soon.
Navneet Cited Threat to Life, Sought Security
In a letter dated October 13, Navneet Chaturvedi had written to the Chandigarh Police claiming that she faced a serious threat to her life. She alleged that the Punjab government was tapping her phone and monitoring her activities, warning that she could be targeted before the elections.
On these grounds, she sought police protection until the completion of the Rajya Sabha election process. Acting on her request, the Chandigarh Police granted her security cover, which subsequently led to the jurisdictional conflict with the Punjab Police.
Navneet Chaturvedi Denies Charges, Vows Legal Action
Responding to the allegations, Chaturvedi maintained her innocence and accused the authorities of political pressure.
“My nomination has been wrongly rejected. One of the MLAs withdrew his signature under pressure. I asked the Returning Officer to have the signatures verified through forensic analysis, but he refused,” she said.
“The FIR against me is completely illegal, and I will soon move the Punjab and Haryana High Court for justice,” she added.
What Lies Ahead
With Chaturvedi’s arrest and her nomination cancelled, the political temperature in Punjab has risen sharply. The incident has sparked a debate over the alleged misuse of security provisions, inter-agency coordination failures, and the growing tension between state and UT police forces.
The Punjab Police have taken Chaturvedi to Ropar, where further interrogation and forensic examination of documents are expected in the coming days.
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