Punjab undertakes not to arrest Partap Singh Bajwa in ‘50 bomb’ remarks case

Chandigarh: The Punjab govt on Tuesday informed the Punjab and Haryana high court that the investigation into the FIR registered against senior Congress leader and leader of opposition (LoP) Partap Singh Bajwa over his "50 bombs have reached Punjab" remark has already started but he would not be arrested as of now.
Hearing the state's reply, the HC adjourned the matter to May 7 for further hearing. With this, Bajwa will not be arrested by the Punjab Police until the next date of hearing.
On April 16, the HC asked Punjab Police not to take any coercive step against him. The HC also issued a notice to the Punjab govt seeking a reply on the petition filed by Bajwa.
In his plea, Bajwa claimed that his statement was twisted by the Punjab govt by misusing counter-intelligence police in a manner that this statement amounts to misleading information, jeopardising the sovereignty, unity, integrity, or security of the country.
"There is no reference to any such alarming news being circulated with intent to create or promote, or which is likely to create or promote on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, caste, or community or any other ground whatsoever, feelings of enmity, hatred, or ill will between different religious, racial, language, or regional grounds or castes or communities in the state," Bajwa submitted in his plea.
The LoP also submitted in his plea that the case, which was registered following his interview in a television show, only highlighted the deteriorating law and order situation in the state of Punjab and the recent incident of a bomb blast on the house of former minister Manoranjan Kalia, who was targeted in his Jalandhar residence, leading to an atmosphere of fear and terror among the people of Punjab.
"Such draconian action leading to registration of FIR on flimsy charges is an abuse of process of law for which the petitioner craves the indulgence of the HC at the nascent stage," Bajwa's petition mentioned.
MSID:: 120522837 413 |