Punjab DSP out of police reach, but all out on social media
Soni, who was posted with 82 battalion of Punjab Armed Police in Chandigarh, was booked for opening fire at his wife, Sunita Soni, on January 19 after an argument at their house in Sector 68, Mohali
On the run after being booked for shooting at his wife, suspended Punjab deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Atul Soni cannot keep away from social media.
While the Mohali police are still struggling to trace him, Soni uploaded a video of his on Instagram captioned “I love my body” on Thursday, garnering a lot of admiration.
“We have written to Facebook and Instagram, through email to provide IP addresses of Soni’s accounts but are yet to hear back,” said Mohali senior superintendent of police (SSP) Kuldeep Singh Chahal.
Soni, who was posted with 82 battalion of Punjab Armed Police in Chandigarh, was booked for opening fire at his wife, Sunita Soni, on January 19 after an argument at their house in Sector 68, Mohali. He was placed under suspension and also faces a departmental inquiry.
A Mohali court has already issued warrants against Soni after the Punjab and Haryana high court had refused to grant him anticipatory bail stating that “his custodial interrogation was required in view of recovery of illegal weapon from his house, as its source was yet to be unearthed”.
Police issued a look out circular (LOC) for Soni almost 36 days after he was booked. Though the cops say that was due to delay in getting passport details.
Police have been unable to trace Soni even when his Punjabi movie, Jagga Jagravan Joga, released on February 14, was being promoted through his social media handles. Soni is portraying a negative role in the movie.
On January 18, Soni had shoved his wife at a lounge bar in Sector 26, Chandigarh, following which they had returned home in separate vehicles, but again got into an argument after which Soni, in a fit of rage, allegedly shot at her with a pistol.
Sunita had given a complaint to the police alleging that she was being regularly tortured “physically, emotionally and mentally” by Soni. Though later she retracted from the allegations.
A case was registered on her complaint under Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 498A (husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty) of the Indian Penal Code besides the Arms Act at the Phase 8 police station in Mohali.
