Punjab & Haryana High Court Declines To Grant Interim Stay On Former SAD Member Ranjit Singh Gill's Arrest

The Punjab & Haryana High Court today refused to grant interim relief of stay on arrest to former Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) member Ranjit Singh Gill.

It was alleged that Gill has been maliciously targeted by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau, solely on account of his political affiliation, immediately after he joined Bharatiya Janata Party (B.J.P.) on August 01.

The Vigilance Bureau was influenced by AAP and multiple raids were conducted on his properties and summons were issued to him in arbitrary manner without being named in any FIR, he contended.

Justice Tribhuvan Dahiya noted that the State's submission that no summon to appear as witness will be issued against him but refused to grant stay on arrest or not to take any coercive step against him, till the next hearing.

Gill had moved High Court seeking directions to the State to serve at least two weeks notice to him in case he is required to be arrested in any criminal case registered, on the ground that he is being harassed by the Vigilance Bureau, Punjab on account of political vendetta as he has recently joined BJP.

The plea added that the action of the Vigilance Bureau, Punjab in carrying out multiple searches at the premises of petitioner on the same day of him joining the opposition party, depicts malafide intention of Vigilance Bureau, especially once they have no jurisdiction as the petitioner is not the public servant and the same is also contrary to the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) issued by the Punjab's Vigilance Bureau.

In the last hearing, while Justice Aaradhana Sawhney was hearing the matter the Punjab Government counsel informed that the case is connected to an already pending petition filed by former minister Bikramjit Singh Majithia. Hence, the Court referred the case to the Chief Justice to place it before the appropriate bench. As a separate bench is hearing cases related to MP/MLAs.

The matter is now adjourned to August 18, for further consideration.

Mr. Randeep Singh Rai, Senior Advocate; Mr. Chetan Mittal, Senior Advocate; Mr. Pravindra Singh Chauhan, Senior Advocate appeared for the petitioner

Mr. Chanchal K. Singla, Additional Advocate General, appeared for Punjab.

Title:  RANJIT SINGH GILL V/S STATE OF PUNJAB AND OTHERS