HC stays ex-punjab DGP Saini’s arrest till March 22

COURT ISSUES NOTICE TO PUNJAB GOVERNMENT ON HIS PLEA SEEKING BAIL IN THE CASE

CHANDIGARH : The Punjab and Haryana high court on Thursday stayed the arrest of former Punjab director general of police (DGP) Sumedh Singh Saini in the 2015 Kotkapura firing case till March 22.

The court issued notice to the Punjab government on his plea seeking bail for March 22. The former DGP was booked under Sections 307, 323, 324, 326, 341, 201, 218, 120-B of the IPC and Sections 27, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act at the Kotkapura police station on August 7, 2018, about three years after many protesters were injured in the police firing on October 14, 2015, at Kotkapura in the aftermath of sacrilege incidents at Bargari and Burj Jawahar Singh Wala.

Saini was chargesheeted by a special investigation team (SIT) in January this year and was summoned by the court. Saini moved a plea seeking bail that was dismissed by a Faridkot court on Tuesday, following which he had moved the high court.

The high court has already granted anticipatory bail to Saini in the 2015 Behbal Kalan police firing case and directed him to appear in the Faridkot trial court by March 8 for furnishing the bail bond and completion of other formalities.