Six days after the tragic accident that killed 36-year-old Richi Kaypee, son of former MP and senior Akali leader Mohinder Singh Kaypee, the Jalandhar police have failed to make any breakthrough in nabbing the key accused, drawing sharp questions over the investigation’s pace.
The First Information Report (FIR), lodged by Division No. 6 police, records Mohinder Singh Kaypee’s account of the September 13 crash. He stated that he and his son were returning home when Richi’s Toyota Fortuner (PB08-AT-0001) was hit near Mata Rani Chowk around 10:45 pm. A Grand Vitara (PB08-FK-7073) abruptly swerved in front of Richi’s car, and moments later, a Hyundai Creta (PB08-DB-6500) struck the vehicle at high speed.
“The impact was so severe that my son Richi died on the spot. I immediately took him to Global Hospital and then Patel Hospital, but doctors declared him dead. My son lost his life due to rash driving by both the drivers. Legal action should be taken,” the FIR quotes Kaypee.
Police have registered a case under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder, rash and negligent driving, and causing death by rash act. Both the Creta and Vitara were seized. While the family of Vitara driver Vishu Kapoor insists he was also injured and wrongly implicated, the Creta driver, Gursharan Singh alias Prince — a businessman from Shekha Bazar — fled the scene and remains untraceable.
Despite police raids, Prince has not been arrested. His counsel, Advocate Mandeep Singh Sachdeva, has moved anticipatory bail, insisting that the case is one of negligence, not intention. “This is an accident, not murder. There was no intent to kill anyone. The real facts will come out during investigation,” Sachdeva said.
The lack of arrest has drawn political attention. On Thursday, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema visited the Kaypee residence to offer condolences. Addressing reporters, Cheema said, “Whoever is the culprit, wherever he is hiding, law will reach him. Nobody responsible will be spared. When the accident happened, the accused should have helped instead of running away. By fleeing, he broke both the law and basic humanity.”
On questions over the FIR against the Grand Vitara driver, Cheema declined to comment directly, saying, “Investigations are in their early stages. The police are probing transparently, and all parties should cooperate.”
Jalandhar Commissioner of Police Dhanpreet Kaur has meanwhile stressed that the investigation is ongoing. She confirmed that CCTV footage from Mata Rani Chowk and adjoining areas is being carefully examined to reconstruct the sequence of events. When asked the alleged wrongful implication of Vitara driver (as quoted by his family), CP Kaur said that the police are verifying every version, including technical evidence and eyewitness accounts. Only after full analysis will culpability be fixed.”
She added that multiple police teams are conducting raids to track down Prince. “No one will be spared, and the investigation is being done transparently,” she maintained.
