Punjab and Haryana high court grants bail to former MLA and JJP leader Satvinder Rana

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court on Tuesday granted bail to the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) leader and former MLA, Satvinder Rana, who was arrested by Haryana police in connection with a case related to theft of liquor from a sealed godown in Panipat district during lockdown.
“Since, the trial is likely to take sufficient time to conclude and in view of the facts that the petitioner has been in custody since May 13 and that no recovery is to be effected from the petitioner, no useful purpose would be served in keeping the petitioner behind bars. At this stage, without commenting on the merits of the case, the instant petition is allowed and the petitioner is directed to be released on regular bail,” observed the HC.
Justice Jaishree Thakur of the HC has passed these orders while allowing the petition filed by Satvinder Rana.
In his plea for bail, Rana had submitted before the HC that he has been falsely implicated in the present case. “The alleged recovery was affected from the car of co-accused Deepak and that the petitioner herein has been involved only on the basis of a disclosure statement suffered by the co-accused. No recovery is to be effected from the petitioner and conclusion of trial will take sufficient time,” his counsel had contended.
Although the counsel for Haryana government opposed the grant of regular bail to Rana but not disputed the fact that no recovery is to be effected from him and that he has been booked in the present case on the basis of a disclosure statement suffered by the co-accused.
Rana had unsuccessfully contested 2019 state assembly polls on JJP ticket from Kalayat assembly segment. Rana, 63, had earlier served as MLA in 1996 and 2005 from Rajaund constituency in Kaithal district.
He was arrested by the crime branch of Panipat police near MLA hostel in sector-3 Chandigarh on May 13. An FIR in relation to the case was registered by Samalakha police in Panipat district on April 28 and Rana’s arrest was the outcome of the lead received by the police during investigation of that case.
The Panipat police have already arrested six persons including a police constable in relation to this case allegedly for stealing 4,500 cases of liquor from a sealed godown. Complaint in relation to the case was made by local excise officials. A case in this connection has been registered under section 380 (theft in building used for custody of property), 457 (house breaking by night), 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) by Panipat police. Rana is stated to be one of the partners in the godown.