E-Paper
HC seeks Punjab government’s response on ex-min Vijay Singla’s bail plea
The bail plea claims that the entire FIR against the former minister and AAP MLA Vijay Singla revolves around the allegation of demand only, based solely on an audio conversation
: The Punjab and Haryana high court on Tuesday sought a response from the Punjab government on former health minister and AAP MLA Vijay Singla’s plea seeking bail in a corruption case.
On June 10, a Mohali court had dismissed his plea and extended his judicial remand till June 24.
The Mohali police had arrested Singla on corruption charges on May 24. The action came following an unprecedented move by chief minister Bhagwant Mann sacking him as a minister and ordering the registration of an FIR against him.
He was accused of demanding bribe as commission for allotment of funds in government tenders.
The plea claims that the entire FIR against the former minister revolves around the allegation of demand only, based solely on an audio conversation, the veracity and authenticity of which was not verified by the investigating agency before registering the present FIR.
“...it is apparent that the investigating agency acted in haste and in a biased manner. Even otherwise the authenticity and admissibility of such recorded voice conversation is still to be tested at the stage of trial and it has to be proved as evidence through scientific mode,” the plea argues.
It also says as mandated under Section 17 of the PC Act, 1988, the police did not take prior approval from the government. Therefore, there is an inherent violation of law and incurable defect in lodging of the present FIR and the arrest of the petitioner, thereafter, it claims.
In its status report, the police on Tuesday told the court that probe in the case was underway and would be concluded soon. The mobile phones of the former minister and co-accused, Pradeep Kumar, were taken into possession at the time of arrest. Permission was also sought from court to obtain their voice samples for comparison, which has been allowed. The next hearing in the case has been scheduled for July 4.
