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Punjab: HC allows drugs case kingpin to attend mother’s bhog ceremony under police’s watch
Punjab and Haryana HC has allowed sacked DSP and 2013 drugs case kingpin Jagdish Bhola to attend bhog and other ceremonies in his mother’s remembrance under the watch of a special team of Punjab Police.
The Punjab and Haryana high court on Friday allowed sacked DSP and 2013 drugs case kingpin Jagdish Bhola to attend bhog and other ceremonies in his mother’s remembrance under the watch of a special team of Punjab Police.
Bhola’s mother died on June 8, and he had approached the high court to allow him to attend bhog and other ceremonies on June 17, June 18, and June 19.
The alleged kingpin of a multi-crore drugs racket in Punjab busted in 2013, Bhola is convicted in two drug cases, and a few more criminal cases are still pending against him. He has been behind bars since 2014.
To state’s opposition to allowing interim bail to him, the bench of justice Mahabir Singh Sindhu observed that no doubt, he (Bhola) is a convict in two drugs cases and is also facing other criminal cases; but there would be no justification to deny him the right, coupled with an obligation to perform the last rites of his mother, being the only son in such a scenario.
The court has now directed the principal secretary (home), to constitute a special team with at least two IPS officers, including one female, to avoid any complications.
Under the team’s watch, Bhola would be taken to his village Rai Ke Kalan in Bathinda on June 17 for bhog ceremonies, and thereafter, he would be lodged in Central Jail, Bathinda.
On June 18, he would be brought back to his village for attending the bhog ceremonies, and then he would be lodged in Ropar. On June 19, he would be taken to Sri Kiratpur Sahib to perform the remaining ceremonies and thereafter taken to Kapurthala jail, where he is currently lodged.
The court made it clear that the responsibility for Bhola’s care and custody during this period of interim bail would be of the special team. The court also directed the deputy commissioners of Bathinda, Ropar and Kapurthala to cooperate with the special team. It is made clear that in order to maintain law and order, if the occasion so arises, the senior most IPS officer from the special team shall take all possible necessary steps as per his or her best judgment, the bench added.
