The Supreme Court has stayed the arrest of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Jaskaranjit Singh Deol, in-charge of the Mullanpur Dakha assembly constituency, in connection with a case involving allegations of sexual assault on a minor. The stay will remain in force till the next hearing of the matter.
Deol, a core committee member of the Youth Akali Dal in Ludhiana, is facing trial in the case involving allegations of repeated sexual assault of a 15-year-old girl.
Advocates Damanbir Singh Sobti and Sultan Singh Sangha, representing Deol, said the top court passed the order on July 27, and the next hearing in the matter has been scheduled for August 6.
Deol was arrested by the police after allegations surfaced that he had allegedly raped the minor girl repeatedly. He was produced before the court on May 18.
The Mohali court later declared his arrest illegal and ordered his immediate release, observing that informing an accused about the grounds of arrest is a mandatory legal requirement. The court noted that failure to comply with this requirement amounts to a violation of constitutional rights.
Following the court’s order, the police moved an application seeking Deol’s police remand, but the plea was dismissed as the court held that he was not legally arrested in the case at that stage.
{{/usCountry}}Following the court’s order, the police moved an application seeking Deol’s police remand, but the plea was dismissed as the court held that he was not legally arrested in the case at that stage.
{{/usCountry}}Subsequently, the police obtained non-bailable warrants against Deol from a local court. He then approached the Punjab and Haryana high court seeking a stay on his arrest. The high court, while hearing the matter, observed that the police could proceed with the arrest after completing all legal formalities.
Deol later moved the Supreme Court, challenging the HC order. His counsel argued before the apex court that he had allegedly been kept in police custody for more than 24 hours before being produced before the court, terming it a violation of legal provisions.
After hearing the matter, the Supreme Court granted interim relief to Deol by staying his arrest until further orders, Deol’s lawyers said.