HC stays criminal proceedings against Delhi BJP leader

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court has stayed proceedings in a criminal case against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s Delhi unit media in-charge Naveen Kumar Jindal.

The high court also barred the Punjab Police from arresting BJP Mahila Morcha leader Priti Veekesh Gandhi without giving a seven-day notice. FIRs against both the leaders were registered in Punjab’s Mohali district.

Jindal was booked on April 7 on the complaint of an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supporter for allegedly tarnishing party president and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s image by sharing a doctored video.

The BJP leader petitioned in court that he had not made the video and it was already available in public domain. It was also argued that the complaint of defamation was not maintainable and police could not have invoked provisions of the IT Act. “It is a classic case of political mala fide. The police are being misused at the behest of the political party which has recently come to power (in Punjab),” it was claimed.

The bench of justice Vikas Bahl stayed criminal proceedings against Jindal and sought response from the Punjab Police, said senior advocate Chetan Mittal, who is the petitioner’s counsel. Detailed orders are awaited.

In another plea, BJP Mahila Morcha in-charge for Maharashtra Priti Veekesh Gandhi had sought quashing of an FIR registered against her on March 17 on the basis of a Twitter post shared by her. Gandhi lives in Mumbai.

It was argued by her lawyers that from the bare reading of the FIR registered for allegedly outraging religious feelings, no offence could be made out and the case had been registered on account of “political considerations”.

The court adjourned the matter to April 27 and asked the deputy superintendent of police (DSP) concerned to remain present on the day. It was ordered that the woman leader should be given seven-day notice if police intend to arrest her, Mittal said. The copy of the judgment is awaited.

Earlier this month, Delhi BJP leader Tejinderpal Singh Bagga had approached high court, seeking quashing of an FIR registered against him in Mohali on allegations of giving statements promoting enmity between different groups and criminal intimidation.