HC send notice to state, DGP over blocking of NH by SAD leaders in 2017

SBSNAGAR:THE Punjab and Haryana high court on Tuesday issued a notice to the state of Punjab and the director general of police regarding a case registered against Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Badal and former minister Bikram Singh Majithia for blocking the national highway with their workers in 2017.

They had staged protested at Harike pattan in Ferozepur district against ‘false cases’ which had been registered against SAD leaders and party workers at Malla nwala ahead of the civic polls.

SBS Nagar-based activist Parwinder Singh Kitna and Ludhiana-based RTI activist Kuldeep Singh Khaira had filed a plea with the court seeking a seeking fair and impartial enquiry into the aforementioned case and nine similar cases that had been registered against Akali leaders in the same year at different police stations.

Petitioners’ counsel advocate Hakam Singh said the court had fixed February 11, 2020, as the next date of hearing.

The petitioners said that a year and 10 months had passed since the FIR had been lodged against the accused but no arrests had been made so far.

“The police are being influenced by politicians. They are choosing to ignore the fact the public had been harassed and inconveniences due to the accused political leaders” said the petition. The petitioners also said instructions should be issued to the SSPS and SHOS to ensure a fair and impartial enquiry was conducted in such cases.