Four members of the family of the re-elected Moga legislator, Joginder Pal Jain, on Saturday requested the court to stay the execution of their arrest warrants in the illegal colonies case.
Approaching the district and sessions judge of Faridkot, the family said that to carry out Thursday's arrest-warrant order of the judicial magistrate (first class), the police were trying to hunt them down.
The court will hear the application next on March 19. The police have orders to arrest the four and produce them in court on or before March 23. The orders came after court turned down Jains' application for exemption from personal appearance.
The court had granted this exemption to Jain in view of the ongoing state assembly session, where his presence is required. The arrest warrants are against Jain's wife, Swarnlata; sons, Ankit and Puneet; and daughter, Rohini, after they were absent for four consecutive hearings of the case in which the family is charged with selling agricultural land for commercial purpose.
On February 5 as well, the court had issued non-bailable warrants against Jain's son, Puneet, over his absence at many hearings. On August 26, 2007, the family, including Jain, was charged under Sections 3 (general liabilities of promoter), 5 (development of land into colony), 21 (compulsory registration), and 36 (offences by promoters or estate agents) of the Punjab Apartment and Property Regulation Act of 1995 at Mehna in Moga district. The offence was selling agricultural land for commercial and residential purpose in violation of the Punjab Urban Planning and Development (PUDA) Act.
{{/usCountry}}On February 5 as well, the court had issued non-bailable warrants against Jain's son, Puneet, over his absence at many hearings. On August 26, 2007, the family, including Jain, was charged under Sections 3 (general liabilities of promoter), 5 (development of land into colony), 21 (compulsory registration), and 36 (offences by promoters or estate agents) of the Punjab Apartment and Property Regulation Act of 1995 at Mehna in Moga district. The offence was selling agricultural land for commercial and residential purpose in violation of the Punjab Urban Planning and Development (PUDA) Act.
{{/usCountry}}In October 2009, the police had filed the charge sheet in this case at Moga. Jain had then pleaded before the district and sessions judge of Faridkot to transfer the case, stating that it had been lodged under the influence of his political rivals.