Big relief for Punjab Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa: HC stays arrest till April 22 in grenade remark FIR case
PTC Web Desk: In a significant development, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has granted interim relief to Partap Singh Bajwa, Congress MLA and Leader of the Opposition in Punjab, by staying his arrest until April 22. The court also issued a notice to the Punjab Government regarding the FIR lodged against him.
The FIR in question was registered on April 13 at the Cyber Crime Police Station in Mohali, following a complaint by a woman police officer. Bajwa has moved the court seeking quashing of the FIR, terming it politically motivated.
The controversy erupted following an interview given by Bajwa on a TV channel, where he claimed that 50 grenades had entered Punjab, out of which 18 had already been used, and 32 were still unaccounted for and potentially active. As soon as the teaser of the interview aired, it triggered a political storm and culminated in the registration of the FIR the same evening.
Reacting swiftly, AIG Counter Intelligence Ravjot Grewal visited Bajwa's residence in Chandigarh's Sector 8 on April 13 to inquire about the source of his sensitive information. After a 15-minute interaction, Grewal informed the media that Bajwa was not cooperating with the investigation.
Later that day, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann released a video, sharply questioning Bajwa about the origin of his claims. Mann asked whether Bajwa had links with Pakistan or terrorist organisations that were providing him with such details. The CM further asked whether Bajwa was waiting for these potential blasts to occur to gain political mileage. He added that if Bajwa’s information was false, it was a clear attempt to spread fear among the public, and warned of strict action if the source of information wasn't disclosed.
On the evening of April 13, Bajwa was issued a summon for questioning on April 14 at 12 noon. However, he did not appear, and his legal team requested an extension. He was subsequently summoned again for April 15 at 2 pm.
Meanwhile, Bajwa’s lawyers approached the High Court, filing a petition to quash the FIR. It was only after the court hearing on April 15 that Bajwa was officially handed a copy of the FIR at 4 pm.
Later that day, Bajwa appeared before the Mohali Cyber Crime Police and was interrogated for nearly five and a half hours. Bajwa maintained that he had fully cooperated with the investigation and would continue to do so, although government sources contradicted this claim.
- PTC NEWS
