4 days on, Bihar cops still waiting to quiz Navjot Sidhu in Amritsar

On Wednesday, a team led by sub-inspectors Janardhan Ram and Javed Alam reached Amritsar and visited Sidhu’s residence along with local police, but he was not available, according to Katihar’s superintendent of police (SP) Vikash Kumar.

A police team from Katihar in Bihar has been camping in Amritsar for the last four days, waiting to quiz former Punjab minister and Congress MLA Navjot Singh Sidhu in a case filed against him during the 2019 Lok Sabha poll campaign when he allegedly exhorted Muslims to unite and vote for Congress to dislodge Prime Minister Narenrda Modi.

Assembly elections in Bihar are due later this year and the Election Commission has ordered disposal of cases related to violations of model code of conduct. (HT Photo)

Sources said the Katihar police team was planning to stay for another few days to be able to question Sidhu.

On Wednesday, a team led by sub-inspectors Janardhan Ram and Javed Alam reached Amritsar and visited Sidhu’s residence along with local police, but he was not available, according to Katihar’s superintendent of police (SP) Vikash Kumar.

Assembly elections in Bihar are due later this year and the Election Commission has ordered disposal of cases related to violations of model code of conduct. Nearly 50 such cases, including that of Sidhu’s, have been pending since the 2019 LS polls.

The case against Sidhu was lodged with Barsoi police station in Katihar on April 16, 2019, under sections of 123 (iii) (Concealing with intent to facilitate design to wage war) and 125 (Waging war against any Asiatic Power which is in alliance with the Government of India) of the Indian Penal Code.

Separately, Bihar BJP vice-president Devesh Kumar had moved Election Commission against the cricketer-turned-politician.

Sidhu has so far not been granted bail by the court of additional chief judicial magistrate in Katihar, which has been hearing the case.

While campaigning for Congress candidate Tariq Anwar in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Sidhu had allegedly said, “Muslims should unite and vote in favour of Congress... If you people unite and vote unitedly, everything will overturn and Modi will be finished,” he had told a gathering while warning them not to vote for Asasuddin Owaisi’s party (AIMIM), which was also in the fray.