Akali leaders allege illegal detention, move High Court

Saurabh Malik

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 20

Describing themselves as “victims of gross persecution and harassment” due to mala fide political considerations, SAD leader Hardeep Singh Dimpy Dhillon and two other petitioners on Thursday moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court by filing a habeas corpus petition.

They were seeking directions to the state government and other respondents for their forthwith release from “illegal detention” and custody of Kotbhai police station in Muktsar. The petitioners claimed that their detention made it abundantly clear that the police action was for extraneous reasons and political considerations.

Taking up the petition filed through Sangram Singh Saron and argued by senior advocate Jasjit Singh Bedi, Justice Daya Chaudhary put the government and other respondents on notice. The case will now come up for further hearing next month.

The petitioners claimed that they were detained in the police station without assigning any reason or without following any legal process. Bedi submitted on Dhillon’s behalf that he received information at 2 pm on September 19 that certain members of the ruling party were indulging in booth capturing at Giljiwala village. He and other petitioners went there, but were attacked and later detained.

Complainant claims threat to life 

Muktsar: A day after lodging an FIR against Sukhbir Badal, Jatinderpal Singh on Thursday claimed threat to his life. Jatinderpal (62), the elder brother of Congress candidate from Killianwali zila parishad zone Ravinderpal Singh, is also contesting the polls from the same zone as an Independent. “Akalis thrashed us in the presence of Sukhbir. One of us has got stitches on his ear, but did not lodge a complaint due to the fear of Akalis,” he alleged. Tejinder Singh said: “Jatinderpal has levelled wild allegations.” tns

12 poll violence cases in Muktsar

Muktsar: The district police have registered at least 12 cases, including four in Lambi, related to poll violence on Wednesday. The police have acted on the complaints of presiding officers and returning officers, besides some commoners. In one such case, the Lambi retuning officer alleged that 25-30 unidentified persons entered a polling booth at Bhitiwala village and ran away with all polling material. tns