Tajinder Singh Bagga gets big relief from Punjab and Haryana High Court, arrest stayed till July 5

The Punjab Police had last month booked Bagga on the charges of making provocative statements, promoting enmity and criminal intimidation.

Pic courtesy: ANI

New Delhi: Punjab and Haryana High Court grants interim relief of stay on arrest to BJP's Tajinder Singh Bagga, following which Bagga can now not be arrested till July 5.

The Punjab Police arrested Delhi BJP spokesperson Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga from his Janakpuri residence in the national capital on May 6. The Police had last month booked Bagga on the charges of making provocative statements, promoting enmity and criminal intimidation. The case was registered on a complaint of AAP leader Sunny Ahluwalia, a Mohali resident.

There has been drama in the case ever since, with three states getting involved in his arrest - Delhi, Haryana and Punjab! Soon after his detention, BJP leader Kapil Mishra criticized the Punjab Police for the action. Another party leader Naveen Jindal accused the Aam Adami Party of misusing police, while Praveen Shankar Kapoor termed it "political vendetta".

"Tajinder Bagga illegally detained by Punjab Police. They didn't allow him to even wear his turban. A complaint has been filed over manhandling of Tajindar Bagga by his father. Kejriwal's Hitler-like act will cost him. Punjab Police is acting on directions of Kejriwal," said Adesh Gupta, Delhi BJP President.

Following Bagga's arrest, the Delhi Police registered a kidnapping case. Punjab cops, who were taking Bagga with them, faced resistance in Haryana. Later, the Punjab and Haryana High Court stayed Tajinder Pal Bagga's arrest till next hearing in a special midnight hearing on Saturday, hours after a Mohali court issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against him. Justice Anoop Chitkara took up Bagga's petition in an urgent hearing at his residence.

Bagga was booked under relevant sections, including 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place etc), 505 (whoever makes, publishes, or circulates any statement, rumour or report) and 506 (criminal intimidation), of the Indian Penal Code.