Fresh trouble for Bagga as Mohali court issues arrest warrant

The Delhi Police had on Friday registered a case of kidnapping based on a complaint by Bagga’s father Pritpal Singh Bagga that “some people” came over to his house at around 8 am and took away his son.

Friday’s dramatic developments saw police forces of Punjab, Haryana and Delhi getting into a tussle over Bagga while triggering a political slugfest.

The Punjab Police had booked Tajinder Bagga on the charges of making provocative statements, promoting enmity and criminal intimidation. The case was registered on a complaint of AAP leader Sunny Ahluwalia, a resident of Mohali.

The FIR registered on April 1 referred to Bagga’s remarks on March 30, when he was part of a BJP youth wing protest outside the residence of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Bagga was booked under relevant sections, including 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place etc), 505 (whoever makes, publishes or circulates any statement, rumour or report) and 506 (criminal intimidation), of the Indian Penal Code.

The Punjab Police has maintained that a police team had gone to Delhi to arrest Bagga after he did not join the investigation despite serving five notices to him.

After its team, which was bringing Bagga from Delhi, was stopped in Haryana, the Punjab Police moved the high court and filed a habeas corpus petition.

The Punjab government on Saturday moved two applications before the Punjab and Haryana High Court here, seeking the Centre be made a party in the case, and that the May 6 CCTV footage of Janakpuri and Kurukshetra police stations be preserved.

The Punjab government has alleged that its police personnel were “detained” at Janakpuri and Kurukshetra police stations when they had gone to arrest Bagga in connection with a case registered against him at Mohali last month.

Meanwhile, in the wake of BJP leader Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga expressing fear about his safety, the Delhi Police on Saturday said it will make necessary security arrangements for him.

“Bagga expressed apprehension over his safety and security. We will do necessary security arrangements,” a senior officer said.