E-Paper
Punjab Cong MLA Khaira gets bail in criminal intimidation case, walks out of jail after four months
A Kapurthala court on Monday granted bail to Congress MLA from Bholath Sukhpal Singh Khaira in a criminal intimidation case
Kapurthala : A Kapurthala court on Monday granted bail to Congress MLA from Bholath Sukhpal Singh Khaira in a criminal intimidation case. The three-time MLA walked out of the Nabha jail four months after he was arrested in a 2015 drugs case on September 29 last year.
Kapurthala judicial magistrate (first class) Supreet Kaur also asked the MLA to furnish a bail bond of ₹ 1` lakh, Khaira’s counsel Kanwaljit Singh said.
The Kapurthala police had registered the case under Sections 195A (threatening any person to give false evidence) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against Khaira on the complaint of Ranjit Kaur, wife of Kashmir Singh, a key witness in the 2015 drug case.
Khaira was arrested in this case on January 4, hours before he was granted bail by the Punjab and Haryana high court in connection with a 2015 drugs case.
Khaira was brought on production warrant from the Nabha jail to Kapurthala court and sent to one-day police custody on January 4. Kashmir Singh had recorded a statement against Khaira and other accused in the 2015 NDPS and Arms Act case registered at Jalalabad police station of Fazilka district. On inquiring into the matter, a case has been registered as the complainant apprehended danger to the life and liberty of his family members, the FIR stated.
The state argued that those who contacted the witness had links with the gangsters and added that Khaira should not be granted bail as the investigating agency was yet to identify the forwards and backward links of the callers.
According to the FIR, on October 15, 2023, two unidentified persons with their faces covered forcibly entered Kashmir’s house and started threatening him of dire consequences if he did not retract his statement. On October 22, his wife Ranjit Kaur received multiple calls from unknown numbers to withdraw the statement, the FIR read.
The complainant claimed that two representations on October 16 and 22 were submitted at the police station concerned but no action was taken.
On the recommendation of the special investigation team, the Jalalabad police arrested three-time MLA Khaira on September 29, 2023, on the charges of harbouring and giving shelter to the main accused Gurdev Singh in 2015 drug case. Khaira was arrested under Section 27 A (punishment for harbouring offenders).
The drugs case was registered against Khaira in March 2015 in Jalalabad in Fazilka district. The case involves the recovery of 2 kg heroin, 24 gold biscuits, a country-made pistol, a .315-bore pistol and two Pakistani SIM cards. A case was registered against nine persons and they were later convicted under the NDPS Act. Among those involved was Gurdev Singh, an alleged aide of Khaira.
Was under illegal surveillance in jail: Khaira
Patiala: After coming out of the Nabha jail, Khaira alleged that he was under illegal surveillance inside the jail through CCTV cameras. “Cameras were installed in my solitary cell. It is direct attack on my liberty and independence. They (government) wanted to mentally torture me,” he alleged
Jail superintendent Ramandeep Singh Bhangu denied to comment on the allegations saying he was not authorised to speak.
