The identity of the two persons allegedly involved -- Suba Singh, the son of State Agricultural Minister Gurdev Singh Badal, and Suba's brother-in-law Baljinder Singh -- threatens to cast a shadow over the Shiromani Akali Dal's poll campaign. Gurdev Badal hails from the same village as Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and has been one of his closest supporters throughout his career.

The FIR, a case of abducting a minor, was registered of May 2 on the testimony of a relative of the girl's father. The FIR named Baljinder Singh and an acquaintance of his, Rajinder Kaur, who at one time used to be a lodger in the girl's house.

The girl's father claimed that the abduction was witnessed by a spice vendor Rani who was also a lodger at his house. She wasillegally detained by the police for some time -- something the police still refuse to comment on. However, a day after the press conference, Rani, who was also missing after her release, dramatically reappeared and denied having witnessed anything.

She now claims that Baljinder was also detained illegally by the police along with her for 15 days.

The girl said she was kidnapped at around 6 pm on April 24. While returning from the market, she met Rajinder kaur. According to her, ``While I was talking to Rajinder, Baljinder reached the spot in a Maruti car and they forced me to accompany them, when I tried raising an alarm, they clamped a hand kerchief laced with medicine to my mouth. I regained consciousness around 9 the next morning and found myself lying in a bed in a closed room with Baljinder and a man whom he alternately called Suba and Jija sitting there drinking alcohol.''

``I asked them to take me back home. They were drunk and beat me up, subsequently they raped me in turn. For the next twomonths, I was kept in a dark room. At night, Baljinder and Suba Singh would return and rape me. During the day the room was locked from outside and I was given food only at night.''

She said that when her health deteriorated, they called Krishan, who was also a lodger at her house once. They allegedly paid him money to take her to her parents'. She said she called up her father two or three times from Haldwani, to where she was taken.

According to her father, a caller identification device helped him trace the call to Haldwani from where he managed to locate where the girl was. Rani now says that after her release, she left for her village as her mother was not well.

The president of Ludhiana Club confirmed that Krishan, a waiter at the club, had not reported for duty since April 23.

The chief minister has ordered an inquiry by the DIG (Ludhiana range) P S Sandhu. The police have recorded the girl's testimony and a medical examination has been carried out. The DIG refused to comment on the progress ofthe investigation. He just said: ``A team of a capable officers well-versed with investigations has been hand-picked. A fair and scientific investigation will be carried out.''

Gurdev Badal who has so far been actively campaigning for Sukhbir Badal in the Faridkot constituency has now interrupted his schedule to visit Ludhiana twice in the past two days. The girl's family and local Janata Dal(S) leader Harish Khanna -- who brought the case to light -- have alleged that the minister has made offers, financial and otherwise, to settle the case without involving his son.

The minister denies having met the family at all, but sources confirm that one such meeting did indeed take place. With the ruling SAD-BJP alliance already at the receiving end of the anti-incumbency factor, these allegations could not have surfaced at a worse time. Gurcharan Singh Tohra's AISAD has already asked for the minister's resignation and these demands are likely to grow.