The Punjab and Haryana high court on Monday extended interim bail of a Delhi-based journalist representing a national news channel, Bhawana Gupta, arrested by Ludhiana police in an accident case.
Gupta along with Mritunjay Kumar, the video journalist of the channel and Parmender Singh Rawat, the driver of the vehicle, were booked in an accident case on Thursday by Ludhiana Police when their car allegedly hit a woman in Ludhiana when they were there to cover an event to be attended by AAP chief and Delhi chief minister, Arvind Kejriwal.
She was granted bail by the high court on Saturday. However, two of her associates remain behind bars. Earlier, in the day on Monday, the case was taken up by the bench of justice Deepak Sibal, who recused himself from hearing the case. Later, it was listed before the bench of justice AG Masih, which posted it for hearing on Tuesday and extended interim bail of Gupta.
The government also submitted its response on Monday and denied allegations of a ‘political motive’ behind the registration of FIR.
{{/usCountry}}The government also submitted its response on Monday and denied allegations of a ‘political motive’ behind the registration of FIR.
{{/usCountry}}The allegations against petitioners have been corroborated by two independent eyewitnesses, the government said adding, “There is very convincing, tangible and direct evidence against the petitioners which has been collected by the local police. The petitioners have presented a false and concocted story regarding the political motive behind the registration of FIR just to malign the image of the police,” it said.
The trio had sought quashing of the FIR registered by Ludhiana Police and stay on the proceedings of the FIR. As an interim measure, they had also demanded that all three be allowed bail.
The case was registered for rash driving, causing hurt and under the provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (prevention of atrocities) Act 1989.
The plea claims they were involved in the FIR as they were part of the expose done by the channel about the expenditure incurred on the redevelopment and renovation of the Delhi chief minister, Arvind Kejriwal’s official residence.