Punjab and Haryana High Court directed Punjab Police to not take any coercive action against BJP leader Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga till May 10 in a late-night hearing on Saturday. The protection from arrest came as a relief for Bagga after a Mohali court issued a warrant against him earlier in the day. Justice Anoop Chitkara of the Punjab and Haryana High Court passed the order staying the arrest of Bagga while hearing a petition challenging the arrest warrant issued by the Mohali court. The next hearing in the matter is scheduled for May 10.
Advocate General Anmol Rattan Singh, appearing for the Punjab government, said that the Punjab government has taken strong objection to the matter being heard at midnight. He argued that the main petition was filed on April 6 this year, and none stopped the petitioner from filing an application under section 438 CrPC for a grant of anticipatory bail, which is a statutory provision. Singh took strong objection to the matter being heard at midnight and said that the petitioner is tainting the judicial system and it should not be permitted.
Punjab Police sought a non-bailable warrant against Bagga from a local court. There is no stay regarding the arrest of the accused in the present FIR nor any anticipatory bail application moved by the accused, said the Punjab Police officials.
