Chandigarh: The Punjab Police failed to get any relief from the Punjab and Haryana high court on Friday over the alleged illegal detention of its team in Haryana. The Punjab Police team was bringing BJP leader Tajinder Bagga from Delhi in connection with an FIR registered in Mohali.
The high court bench of justice Lalit Batra heard the habeas corpus plea twice on Friday afternoon seeking release of 12 of Punjab cops, who police claimed that have been illegally detained by the Haryana police in Kurukshetra. At 2 pm, Punjab’s plea was taken up and hearing was fixed for 4 pm asking Haryana and Delhi police to respond to the allegations in the plea.
Punjab advocate general Anmol Rattan Sidhu had demanded that a warrant officer be appointed and 12 policemen, who have been illegally detained along with Bagga, be allowed to bring him to Punjab.
He said that Bagga was being probed in an FIR by Mohali police. “He was sent five notices to appear before police. However, he did not appear. It was then police decided to arrest him,” Sidhu said adding that role of Haryana police had been “depreciable”.
No illegality has been committed. Punjab police have videographed arrest of Bagga and a policeman was sent to Janakpuri police station, under which Bagga’s residence fall. However, local police did not make the requisite entry in their register, Sidhu had told the court.
{{/usCountry}}No illegality has been committed. Punjab police have videographed arrest of Bagga and a policeman was sent to Janakpuri police station, under which Bagga’s residence fall. However, local police did not make the requisite entry in their register, Sidhu had told the court.
{{/usCountry}}Police, in their plea, had sought immediate release of inspector Shiv Kumar, sub-inspector Reena, assistant sub-inspectors (ASI), Amandeep Verma, Deepak Singh and Gurpartap Singh, and constables Amritpal Singh, Satnam Singh, Gurbaj Singh, Harinder Singh, Rajbir Singh, Amritpal Singh, and Simranjit Singh.
DSP Kuljinder Singh went to police station Janakpuri, Delhi, to intimate the arrest and to get DDR lodged. But he was illegally detained and was obstructed from carrying out his official duties, he had told court adding that some police officers are still in the illegal custody of Delhi police.
Later, the team which was on its way from Delhi to Punjab was stopped in Kurukshetra and was illegally detained by Haryana police. All this has been done due to political reasons and with a view to wreck political vengeance as the accused in the FIR is affiliated to the political party, which has government in the state, Sidhu had submitted adding that DGP Punjab was forced to write to his counterpart in Haryana underscoring the “brazen acts of lawlessness flagrantly committed” by the Haryana police.
However, at 4 pm, when hearing resumed again, Haryana police told high court that none of the cops, who are stated to be in illegal custody of the Haryana police, have been detained in the state. Haryana advocate general, BR Mahajan told court that the policemen were stopped upon information about kidnapping of Bagga from Delhi Police.
Later, Delhi police came with a search warrant upon which custody of Bagga was handed over to them. As of cops, they were stopped but have not been detained. They themselves chose to stay at the Kurukshetra police station, he had informed the court.
Appearing for Delhi police, additional solicitor general Satya Pal Jain had told court that Bagga was picked up illegally by Punjab Police. They were suppose to inform the local police, which they did not do. Bagga was taken back from Haryana after his father lodged a complaint regarding Punjab police illegally taking him away. He has been taken back upon a court order, he had told the court. Jain also said that no policeman has been detained at Janakpuri police station in Delhi.
The matter will be taken up on Saturday again, by when Delhi Police and Haryana Police have been told by the court to respond to the allegations levelled in the plea.