The accused Khanna factory owner also beat three Mohali warehouse employees and held its owner hostage before fleeing with the machinery
Three weeks after the owner of a Sector 82 warehouse was held hostage, police booked a Khanna resident, and 20 unknown persons, for intimidating him and stealing machinery worth ₹77 lakh on Sunday.
The accused, Balwinder Singh Sodhi who owns a machine tools-factory on Badala road, Khanna, also beat three warehouse employees before fleeing. The incident had taken place on April 18.
Investigating officer Sanjay Kumar said the victim, Mohan Inder Singh of Phase 9, had sold some machines to the accused, who was not satisfied with the quality and requested a return.
The accused visited the godown and got into an argument with the victim over the return, following which 20 unidentified persons entered the warehouse and held the owner hostage. The accused brandished a gun at the victim and threatened to kill him.
The accused then loaded machinery worth ₹77 lakh onto a truck and thrashed the godown’s employees for processing before fleeing. The injured victims were later admitted to a hospital.
Police registered a case against Balwinder Singh Sodhi, and the 20 unidentified aides, under sections 379B (theft), 506 (criminal intimidation), 148 (rioting with weapons) and 149 (unlawful assembly) and the Arms Act at the Sohana police station.
The investigating officer said all the suspects are absconding, adding that police is working on arresting them as the earliest.
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