Delhi BJP Leader Tajinder Bagga Arrested for Communal Inflammatory Statements: Punjab Police

Last month, Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga had claimed that Punjab Police reached his home to arrest him without informing the local police.

Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga was arrested by the Punjab Police from his home in New Delhi's Janakpuri on Friday. ( Image Source :ANI | ABP News Visual )

New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga was on Friday arrested by the Punjab Police over charges of communal inflammatory statements, promoting religious enmity, and criminal intimidation. Punjab Police stated that it arrested Tajinder Bagga from his home in New Delhi's Janakpuri, following due process of law. "He is being brought here and will be produced in Court. Further investigation being done by SIT of SAS Nagar Police," the police added.

Tajinder Bagga's father Preetpal Singh Bagga alleged that police officials punched him when tried to record the video of the arrest: "Today morning, 10-15 police personnel came to our home and dragged Tajinder out. When I picked up my mobile phone to record a video of the incident, police took me to another room and punched me in the face." "The police personnel who came to our home today morning said that Tajinder gave a death threat to Arvind Kejriwal. Delhi Police had no information about the incident; A DCP is here now," he added, as quoted by ANI.

Delhi Police said it did not receive any information about Bagga's detention and it will take necessary action on complaints by the Delhi BJP leader's family.

The Punjab Police, in a statement, mentioned that "the accused was served five notices under Sections 41 A CrPC to come and join the investigation. The notices dated April 9, 11, 15, 22 and 28 were duly served upon. Despite that, the accused deliberately did not join the investigation."

In April, the Punjab Police had also registered a case against Delhi BJP leader Naveen Kumar Jindal for allegedly sharing on Twitter a "doctored video clip" of a media interview of Kejriwal.

Visuals of Delhi BJP leader Tajinder Bagga's arrest.#BJP #TajinderBagga #PunjabPolice #ArvindKejriwal #AAPpic.twitter.com/fGrds6CU1Q

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Meanwhile, Delhi BJP President Adesh Gupta criticised the Punjab police action saying said that Tajinder Bagga was "illegally detained". "They didn't allow him to even wear his turban. Complaint filed over manhandling of Tajindar Bagga by his father. Kejriwal's Hitler-like act will cost him. Punjab Police acting on directions of Kejriwal," he alleged.

FIR Against Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga 

According to a report by news agency PTI, the Punjab Police had booked Delhi BJP spokesperson Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga on the charges of making provocative statements, promoting enmity, and criminal intimidation.

The case was registered on a complaint by AAP leader Sunny Ahluwalia, a resident of Mohali, following the BJP leader's remarks criticising Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal over his statement on 'The Kashmir Files' film.

The FIR against Bagga was registered on April 1 at Punjab State Cyber Crime Police Station in Mohali under relevant IPC 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), PTI reported.

According to the Punjab Police statement, the FIR was based on a complaint about "instigation/incitement/criminal intimidation to cause violence, use of force, imminent hurt in a predesigned and orchestrated manner by making/publishing provocative, false and communal inflammatory statements through his interview given to the media and through his Twitter posts".

Tajinder Bagga Alleged Punjab Police Reached His Home Without Informing Local Police

Notably, last month, Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga claimed that Punjab Police reached his home to arrest him without informing the local police. "Punjab Police Car number PB65AK1594 reached my home to arrest me without informing local police. Now they are tracking my friends addresses and going to their homes. No information of FIR, Police station, Sections against me to me till now. CC @DelhiPolice @DCPWestDelhi," Bagga stated in a tweet.

He had also mentioned that Punjab Police reached his home when he was in Lucknow.

"I am in Lucknow, without any information @PunjabPoliceInd reached my home. May I know the reason? CC @DCPWestDelhi," he wrote. In another tweet, Bagga said that he will continue to oppose Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal if he terms the "genocide of Kashmiri Pandits a lie."

"No matter if one or 100 FIRs are registered against me but if Kejriwal calls the genocide of Kashmiri Pandits a lie, then I will protest, if he laughs at the genocide of Kashmiri Pandits, then I will protest no matter what consequences I have to face for it," he said.

(With Agency Inputs)