Dismissed DSP arrested following Punjab and Haryana high court order

Ludhiana commissioner of police Mandeep Singh Sidhu said that the former DSP Balwinder Singh Sekhon will be produced in court on Tuesday

The Ludhiana police arrested the dismissed deputy superintendent of police (DSP), Balwinder Singh Sekhon, from his house on Monday following the orders of the Punjab and Haryana high court.

The Punjab and Haryana high court on Monday had ordered the arrest of Balwinder Singh Sekhon and one Pardeep Sharma, both residents of Ludhiana, on allegations of circulating derogatory videos against judges.

Ludhiana commissioner of police Mandeep Singh Sidhu said that the former DSP will be produced in court on Tuesday.

The Punjab and Haryana high court on Monday had ordered the arrest of Balwinder Singh Sekhon and one Pardeep Sharma, both residents of Ludhiana, on allegations of circulating derogatory videos against judges. The bench of justice GS Sandhawalia and justice Harpreet Kaur Jeewan also issued bailable warrants to one web channel, Scroll Punjab, reporter, Baljit Marwaha, in the same case. Besides this, Youtube, Twitter and Facebook and other such platforms have been directed to remove “malicious content” created and posted by the trio and the secretary, ministry of electronics and information technology has been asked to file a compliance report on February 22. “The loading of such videos on the social platform at the international level brings disrepute to the constitutional institution and it amounts to virtually inciting the public against the rule of law,” it added.

The bench observed that freedom of speech and expression is protected under the constitution. But the continued misconduct of the trio forced the court to proceed against them with “heavy heart”. By putting material on social sites, they have not only by visible representation scandalised and lowered the authority of the court but also have interfered with the course of judicial proceedings. “It can be safely said that the criminal contempt which they have committed is in the presence and hearing of this court and thus forced us to invoke our jurisdiction under Section 14 of the Act (Contempt of Courts Act) so that they are brought forth before this bench to answer the charge against them,” the bench said, asking Ludhiana police commissioner to take Sekhon and Sharma in judicial custody and serve bailable warrants against Marwaha for February 24.

It was on February 15, the high court had issued a contempt notice to Sekhon. The allegations were that he was instrumental in circulating derogatory and defamatory videos of more than 10 judges of the high court against whom scandalous allegations were made.

As per the order, the videos put out by them contained unsubstantiated allegations against the judges regarding the manner in which they might be conducting proceedings of a 2013 case, in which the court is monitoring steps being taken by the Punjab government on the eradication of drugs and probe into cases of drugs, especially against high profile individuals. It also contained their alleged views about different reports prepared by SITs on the alleged involvement of high-profile individuals and the role of top functionaries of the state, as per the order.

“The said allegations also pertain to raising allegations of financial misdemeanour apart from judges facing political pressure and unfounded reasons which are levelled,” it recorded adding that the duo had been conducting press conferences prior to the proceedings in the drugs case and after the court proceedings and making comments how proceedings should have taken place etc. The court cited one such example of the February 15 hearing, observing that after the proceedings, they “launched a vicious tirade” on the proceedings and even suggested that the “Judges did not have the guts to open” the sealed cover reports and also “named two senior police officials, due to which, the reports had not been opened.” The sealed cover reports being referred to examine the role of cops, which is lying before the high court since 2017.

It further recorded that even on subsequent occasions, they “abused the judges to the fullest” in their videos posted on social media sites. “A virtual panchayat is being held whereby abuses are being showered on this court (by the trio),” the bench further recorded adding that a gauntlet was being thrown by them and the court do not shrug off its constitutional duties to take it head on and ordered the arrest of the two.