A retired army officer, a key witness in a multi-crore housing scam, was brutally attacked in Meerut, raising concerns about witness intimidation and prompting a police investigation into the potential link between the assault and the ongoing legal proceedings.
Key Points
- A 70-year-old retired Army officer, a key witness in a multi-crore housing scam, was brutally assaulted in Meerut.
- The victim, Colonel (retd) Surendra Pal Singh, alleges the attack was an attempt to silence him regarding his testimony in the housing scam case.
- Police have registered a case against five individuals and are investigating the link between the assault and the ongoing scam litigation.
- The retired officer had previously received death threats related to his testimony against the society's clerk and secretary in the housing scam.
A 70-year-old retired Army officer, a key witness in an alleged multi-crore housing scam, was brutally assaulted during his morning walk here on Wednesday, police said.
The victim, Colonel (retd) Surendra Pal Singh, a resident of Defense Colony area, was allegedly intercepted by attackers in a white car around 6 am.
According to the FIR, the assailants attempted to strangle him with a scarf before repeatedly striking his head, face, and legs with a hammer. The attackers then fled the scene leaving the septuagenarian injured.
Singh, who is currently undergoing treatment at the district hospital, alleged the attack was a bid to silence him. He is a witness in several cases involving an alleged multi-crore embezzlement within the Sainik Sahkari Awas Samiti.
"I had previously received death threats regarding my testimony against the society's clerk and secretary," Singh told the police.
Police Investigation into the Attack
Additional Superintendent of Police (Rural) Sudhir Kumar said a case has been registered against five individuals, including three named suspects, under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
"We have formed two teams to nab the accused. The investigation is exploring the link between the ongoing scam litigation and this targeted assault," the officer added.
