The Mansa police have booked Congress MLA from Sardulgarh Ajit Inder Singh Mofar for causing death due to rash driving and negligence (under sections 279 and 304-A of the Indian Penal Code).

Gurjinder Singh, 20, of Malwala village in Bathinda died when Mofar's Innova hit his vehicle from the rear near Jatana Kainchian crossing in Mansa district yesterday night at 8 pm.

Gurjinder was going to Alike village along with one Kulwinder Singh and Tarsem Singh to his aunt's place after returning from Ratia, the police said. Tarsem, who was driving the tractor-trolley, reportedly drove away after the accident out of fear, as the Innova had a red beacon atop.

It was being alleged that Mofar, in a drunken state, was driving the Innova at high speed. Gurjinder succumbed to injuries a few hours after being taken to the hospital, said a police official.

Sardulgarh DSP Rajveer Singh said had it been a loaded trolley, Mofar and his gunman would have been seriously injured. He said after being hit by the Innova, Gurjinder fell from the tractor, and his leg allegedly got crushed.

Mofar, when contacted, said the case was "politically motivated", and he was not driving the vehicle.

"My driver, Buta Singh, from Jatana village was driving the Innova, my gunman was sitting next to him and I was sitting at the backseat," Mofar claimed. The tractor-trolley suddenly turned right, causing the accident," he added.

Refuting the charge that he was drunk, Mofar claimed that after the accident, it was he who took Gurjinder to the hospital.

However, Gurcharan Singh, the inquiry officer in the case, claimed that only Mofar and his gunman were travelling in the car.

"In their statements to the police, Amarpal Singh of a nearby house and Ranjit Singh of Alike village, both of whom claimed to have helped Mofar and his gunman come out from the Innova after the accident, have stated that the MLA was drunk," said Gurcharan.