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Fearing arrest, Jalandhar West MLA seeks anticipatory bail
Recently, Varinder Kumar, alias Maula, Jatinder Kumar and Rohit Kumar were caught with 1.2-kg heroin. Later, photos of Varinder with MLA Angural went viral on social media platforms.
Apprehensive about his arrest in a drug case, Jalandhar West MLA Sheetal Angural filed a petition seeking anticipatory bail in Punjab and Haryana high court (HC) on Thursday.
He moved the HC a day after one of his aides was among three persons arrested by the Jalandhar police with 1.2-kg heroin. The court adjourned the matter until May 15 after the petitioner’s counsel sought so to file an affidavit.
It is worth mentioning here that Angural snapped ties with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on March 27, along with sitting MP Sushil Kumar Rinku, who is presently BJP’s candidate from the Jalandhar Lok Sabha seat.
In his petition, Angural put forth his apprehension that the state authorities might misuse their position to engage in coercive actions, potentially dragging him into “false and frivolous” legal proceedings.
He also attached a copy of newspaper clipping with his petition pertaining to an NDPS case in which the police unearthed an international drug trade by recovering 29 kg of opium meant to be smuggled to foreign countries through courier service. The case registered on March 24 involved UK resident Money Thakur, a Jalandhar native, whom Angural met during his UK visit early this year.
The police had on Wednesday arrested three brothers — Varinder Kumar, alias Maula, Jatinder Kumar and Rohit Kumar carrying 1.2-kg heroin.
The photos of Varinder with Angural went viral on social media platforms soon after his arrest. Even former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi showed the picture during his interaction with mediapersons, demanding a detailed investigation.
Meanwhile, commissioner of police Swapan Sharma could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.
According to the police, six FIRs are already pending against Varinder and five against Rohit Kumar. They are said to have been operating their drug trafficking network in the Bhargo Camp area, which falls in Jalandhar West constituency.
