In a major relief to Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga, the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday stayed the Delhi BJP leader’s arrest till July 5. The development comes three days after the court granted him protection from any coercive action till the next date of hearing.
This was the same case that led to his dramatic arrest by the Punjab Police from his Delhi residence in Janakpuri on Friday morning. Soon after, a cat-and-mouse chase ensued which involved the police forces of three states.
After Bagga was taken from his Delhi residence, the Punjab police cavalcade carrying the BJP leader was intercepted by the Haryana police in Kurukshetra. Subsequently, the Punjab police and the accused Bagga were kept under the Haryana police custody.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Police had filed an FIR against the Punjab Police at Delhi’s Janakpuri police station based on the kidnapping charges filed by Bagga’s family. Bagga’s family alleged that they were manhandled by the Punjab police and their son was not allowed to wear his turban.
The Punjab Police denied the charges as they said that the arrest was peaceful as they had a video recording to prove their claim. The Delhi Police reached the spot to pick up Bagga from the custody of Haryana Police as they said they were acting on the FIR. The Delhi Police further said that they were kept in the dark by their Punjab counterparts on Bagga’s arrest.
Bagga was brought back to his Janakpuri residence by the Delhi Police a few hours after his arrest while the Punjab and Haryana High Court dismissed Punjab government’s plea to keep Bagga under Haryana police custody.