MPA Baldev Kumar acquitted in murder case

PESHAWAR: An Anti-Terrorism Court in Buner district on Thursday acquitted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s minority Member Provincial Assembly Baldev Kumar in the murder case of lawmaker Soran Singh by giving him the benefit of doubt.

The Anti-Terrorism Court Judge, Jamaluddin, acquitted Baldev Kumar along with six other accused, including Alam Khan and Feroz Khan, for lack of evidence.

The trial was conducted for more than two years in the Buner Prison due to security reasons.

They had been arrested in the murder case of PTI leader Soran Singh, who was killed on April 22, 2016 in Buner district.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) notified Baldev Kumar as MPA as his name was on top of the list of candidates submitted by the PTI for the reserved seats for minorities following Soran Singh’s killing.

However, during investigation, Baldev Kumar was nominated in the murder case of Soran Singh and was arrested.

As the PTI leadership didn’t want Baldev Kumar to become the MPA on the vacant seat, it tried to notify another minority member as member of the legislature. However, under the law, Baldev Kumar had to be notified.

Due to anger among the party leaders and workers over the alleged involvement of Baldev Kumar in the Soran Singh’s murder, Speaker KP Assembly Asad Qaiser kept delaying his production order for taking oath as MPA in the assembly. Baldev Kumar then moved the Peshawar High Court for his production order and oath-taking.

In compliance with the court order, Speaker Asad Qaiser issued his production order. But MPAs from both the treasury and opposition benches protested against the production of Baldev Kumar and one of the PTI MPAs, Arbab Jehandad hit him with a shoe and did not allow him to take oath.

Talking to The News after his release from jail, Baldev Kumar said that allegations of murder against him had proved baseless.

However, he said that he had full confidence in the judiciary and today the court declared the police case against him as baseless.

About his oath-taking issue, Baldev Kumar said he would wait for the Peshawar High Court order as the court had already issued contempt notices to respondents for not complying with its order about his oath.

He said that he would decide on whether to remain in PTI or not after consulting his supporters.

After acquittal in the case, he was released from Buner Prison and the police provided him security to reach home.