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{{Short description|Indian mining baron}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2017}}
{{Infobox person
|name = Sukhdev Singh Namdhari
|image =
|image_size =
|caption =
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1965|10|15}}
|birth_place = Talli, [[Bajpur]], [[Uttarakhand]], India
|death_date =
|death_place =
|death_cause =
|resting_place =
|alma_mater = Bajpur Inter College
|occupation = Former Minorities Commission Chairman U. K.
|years_active =
|spouse = Harjinder Kaur
|signature_alt =
|website =
|footnotes =
|awards =
}}

'''Sukhdev Singh Namdhari''' is the ex-chairman of Uttarakhand Minority Commission (March 2010 – November 2012), an alleged mining baron, and a politically influential figure.<ref name=zeenews>{{cite news | title=Chadha brothers' murders: Case shifted to Crime Branch | url=http://zeenews.india.com/news/delhi/chadha-brothers-murders-case-shifted-to-crime-branch_812596.html |date=24 November 2012}}</ref> He stepped into politics as a small-time [[Bhartiya Janata Party|BJP]] leader, and in due time, became a well-connected political figure. He was also the State President of [[Rashtriya Sikh Sangat]], a sister organization of the [[Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh]].<ref name=indiatoday>{{cite news | title=The Man Who Knew Too Much | url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/nation/story/20121224-ponty-chadha-murder-case-sukhdev-singh-namdhari-had-many-details-761036-2012-12-13 |date=14 December 2012}}</ref>

He made news as the main accused in the murder mystery of famous industrialist brothers, [[Ponty Chadha|Ponty]] and Hardeep Chaddha. Following the accusation and his alleged involvement, Namdhari was expelled from the BJP and removed from his post of the Minority Commission chief.<ref name="indiatoday"/><ref name=ndtv>{{cite news | agency=IANS | title=Ponty Chadha: From snack seller to liquor tycoon | url=http://www.ndtv.com/article/people/ponty-chadha-from-snack-seller-to-liquor-tycoon-293642|access-date=17 November 2012|newspaper=NDTV|date=17 November 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newswala.com/India-National-News/Cops-to-seek-further-custody-of-Sukhdev-Singh-Namdhari-23443.html |title=Cops to seek further custody of Sukhdev Singh Namdhari |website=www.newswala.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121202022531/http://www.newswala.com/India-National-News/Cops-to-seek-further-custody-of-Sukhdev-Singh-Namdhari-23443.html |archive-date=2012-12-02}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://zeenews.india.com/news/delhi/sukhdev-singh-namdhari-charged-with-hardeeps-murder_813464.html|title=Sukhdev Singh Namdhari charged with murder, custody extended|date=28 November 2012}}</ref>

==Early life and education==
Born and brought up in village Talli in the city of [[Bajpur]], Namdhari was the son of a farmer, Roor Singh. He gained early fascination for power and guns and adopted the alias ‘Fauji’, which quickly gained popularity amid his childhood mates. He schooled at the Bazpur Inter College, from where he dropped out in 1985 in 12th standard, and took to truck driving instead.<ref name=":0" />

His father bought him his first truck in 1987, which according to former associates, he used for smuggling illicitly fell ‘Khair’ trees.
Later, he made his much coveted entry into politics through his association with Deendayal Singh Bhullar, the former Bazpur [[block pramukh]], and gradually rose in stature. Soon after, he became the personal bodyguard of [[Harbhajan Singh Cheema]], MLA Kashipur.
However, it was only during the family feud between Cheema, Bhullar, and local don Gurbachan Lal Sharma that Namdhari rose to prominence. Namdhari’s role in the feud raised suspicion but charges remained unconfirmed.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/nation/story/20121224-ponty-chadha-murder-case-sukhdev-singh-namdhari-had-many-details-761036-2012-12-13 |title=The Man Who Knew Too Much}}</ref>

==Controversies==
He is allegedly the main accused in the 17 November 2012 shootout that led to the death of industrialist Ponty Chadha, and his younger brother, Hardeep, at their South Delhi farmhouse.

Namdhari was arrested from Bazpur in Uttarakhand<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/ponty-chadha-shootout-police-arrest-key-witness-sukhdev-singh-namdhari-296435 |title=Ponty Chadha shootout: Police arrest key witness Sukhdev Singh Namdhari}}</ref> and was brought to Delhi for further investigation. Namdhari’s personal Security Officer (PSO) [[Sachin Tyagi]]’s name also came up during the course of the investigations.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/chadha-brothers-murder-case-namdhari-s-personal-security-officer-sachin-tyagi-arrested-300613 |title=Chadha brothers' murder case: Namdhari's Personal Security Officer Sachin Tyagi arrested}}</ref> Tyagi in touch with Namdhari since January 2012 and during the course of the investigations the shootout alluded to being a ‘well-hatched conspiracy.’ Tyagi was arrested on 3 December 2012.
He was also found in illegal possession of a (.30) caliber pistol, which he said was given to him by Namdhari.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/chadha-brothers-murder-case-namdhari-s-personal-security-officer-sachin-tyagi-arrested-300613?curl=1413270071 |title=Chadha brothers' murder case: Namdhari's Personal Security Officer Sachin Tyagi arrested}}</ref> He later confessed that he fired at Hardeep with his official weapon. The case still remains under trial. Namdhari and Sachin Tyagi were cleared of the IPC 302 and murder charges were dropped and are being tried for IPC 304 which is culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The shooting was not premeditated and no conspiracy was found.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://zeenews.india.com/news/delhi/ponty-murder-case-court-drops-murder-charges-against-namdhari-sachin_907483.html |title=Ponty murder case: Court drops murder charges against Namdhari, Sachin|date=28 January 2014}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Namdhari, Sukhdev Singh}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from Uttarakhand]]
[[Category:1945 births]]

Sukhdev Singh Namdhari - Revision history

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