‘Arrest illegal’: Court orders release of Congress leader Indi in Ludhiana

Advocate Vijay Mahendru, appearing for Indi, told the court that the police picked him up from his residence at 9.56 am on Saturday, a moment captured on CCTV

In a major embarrassment to the Ludhiana police, a local court on Sunday ordered the release of Congress leader Inderjit Singh Indi, terming his arrest illegal and pointing to serious procedural lapses by the police. Indi, a close associate of former cabinet minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu and husband of ward 61 Congress councillor Parminder Kaur, was arrested by the division number 8 police on charges of attempted murder and obstructing a municipal employee from performing official duty.

Indi was booked on the complaint of the joint commissioner (A) of the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation, who alleged that horticulture circle in-charge Ajay Kumar was abused and assaulted near Rose Garden. (HT Photo for representation)

Advocate Vijay Mahendru, appearing for Indi, told the court that the police picked him up from his residence at 9.56 am on Saturday, a moment captured on CCTV. However, as per the FIR itself, the police received information about the alleged incident only at 10.09 am and registered the case at 10.28 am. He further pointed out that Indi was produced before the court for remand only at 1 pm on Sunday, well beyond the 24-hour legal limit, and that no notice under Section 41-A of the BNS was served. Taking note of these violations, the court declared the arrest illegal and ordered Indi’s release. Mahendru added that the FIR would now be challenged in the high court.

Earlier, senior Congress leaders rallied behind Indi, holding a press conference that included former senior deputy mayor Sham Sunder Malhotra and Mamta Ashu, wife of Bharat Bhushan Ashu. They alleged political vendetta and questioned the credibility of the case.

Indi was booked on the complaint of the joint commissioner (A) of the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation, who alleged that horticulture circle in-charge Ajay Kumar was abused and assaulted near Rose Garden. The FIR claimed Indi obstructed official work and thrashed the employee, an allegation Congress leaders strongly denied, asserting there were no injury marks and no evidence to support the charges.