BJP leader Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga. ArchiveAlleging that Delhi Police misused entire legal machinery and statutory powers only to protect and shield an accused, the Punjab Police has approached the Delhi High Court seeking restoration of BJP leader Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga’s custody and quashing of the kidnapping FIR, which had become the basis for his release earlier this month.
Bagga is accused by Punjab Police of fuelling disharmony, unrest and ill will against different religious groups. On May 6, a Punjab Police team took him into custody from his Janakpuri residence but were stopped by police in Haryana on the way back, following receipt of
information from Delhi Police regarding a search warrant. Haryana Police later handed over Bagga’s custody to Delhi Police, which released him during the night on the basis of a court order.
The case titled ‘State of Punjab versus State (Govt. of NCT of Delhi) & Ors’ is listed for hearing before the bench of Justice Anu Malhotra Tuesday. Punjab has also sought setting aside of the search warrants and release order issued by metropolitan magistrate of the Dwarka court in the case filed by Bagga’s father at Janakpuri police station.
Punjab Police has accused Delhi and Haryana Police of acting “at the behest of the political leadership” and of using a “false and fabricated” FIR to protect Bagga. Allowing the court orders and FIR to continue will lead to abuse of process of law and harassment of authorised police officials, the Punjab Police has argued before Delhi HC.
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Punjab Police in the petition also alleged that when its team reached Janakpuri police station to intimate local police officials, Delhi Police illegally detained them till 6 pm and even senior officers visited the room where they were detained but refused to inform the reason of “illegal detention”. The munshi was also commanded to delete the information given by Punjab Police officials, alleges the plea.
It has alleged that Delhi Police registered the kidnapping FIR at Janakpuri police station only to “set to naught the arrest and investigation” being carried out against Bagga. Delhi Police officials also obtained a search warrant on the basis of the FIR by “concealing relevant and material facts of the lawful arrest of the said accused,” Punjab Police alleged.
“The Delhi Police conduct is totally dubious, illegal, unwarranted, mala fide, unauthorised, who not only misled the Hon’ble Court by assisting the accused but also concealed the factum that the person whom they are presenting as victim in the same FIR is the accused and had been arrested by Punjab Police,” reads the Punjab Police plea.
Both Haryana Police and Delhi Police earlier denied the allegations regarding illegal detention of police personnel of Punjab Police.
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