New Delhi: Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday, quashed FIR against former Aam Aadmi Party leader and port Kumar Vishvas and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga, as reported by the news agency ANI.
Vishvas allegedly made inflammatory statements against Aam Aadmi Party convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Ahead of the Punjab state assembly election held on February 20, Kumar Vishwas had alleged that AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal had connections with separatists in Punjab, and those having sympathy with separatists used to come to his house for meetings.
The Rupnagar Police had booked Vishvas in Punjab over his alleged inflammatory statements against AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal and Bagga was booked on charges of making provocative statements, promoting enmity and criminal intimidation at Mohali in April.
A case was registered against Kumar Vishwas under sections 153, 153A, 505, 505 (2), 116 along with sections 143, 147, 323 (assault), 341, 120-B (criminal conspiracy). Hearing a petition submitted by Kumar Vishvas, the Punjab-Haryana High Court has ordered the High Court to quash the case registered against him in Punjab's Rupnagar.
In the petition, Vishwas had submitted that the case registered against him was sheer abuse of the process of law and apparently politically motivated.
"The manner in which the investigating agency is proceeding, it is apparent that it is trying to curtail the liberty of the petitioner by adopting a procedure unknown to law," he had submitted, ANI reported.
Punjab Congress President ASR Warring said that the party welcomes the cancellation of the FIR against Kumar Vishwas and Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
"AAP government has registered similar vendetta FIRs against Punjab Congress leaders also. Those cases will also fall flat in the court of law," Warring further said. In a tweet, BJP leader Bagga said, "Satyamev Jayate Big slap on @ArvindKejriwal Face. Punjab High court Quashed FIR against Me & Me & @DrKumarVishwas."
Apart from Vishwas, a case was also registered against Congress leader Alka Lamba. Lamba has been accused of supporting the remarks made by Vishwas. Punjab Police on April 12 filed an FIR against Vishwas in Rupnagar town for his 'inflammatory statements' against Kejriwal.
Soon after the Punjab police registered a case against Kumar and Congress leader Alka Lamba, the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) had demanded immediate cancellation of the FIR registered against Congress leader Alka Lamba and Kumar Vishwas, stating that it had only been registered to settle the personal agenda as they were critical of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
Earlier in May, Punjab and Haryana High Court had stayed Kumar's arrest in the case.
(With Inputs from ANI)