In an unprecedented midnight development, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has summoned a detailed report from the Chandigarh Police regarding allegations made by the Congress party concerning the purported illegal detention of its councillor, Jasbir Singh Bunty. The incident unfolded amidst the high-stakes mayoral elections scheduled for Thursday.
The order, issued by Justice Alok Jain, resulted from a special hearing held at his residence in Sector 8, Chandigarh, at 12:15 am on Wednesday. The court took cognizance of a petition filed by Harmohinder Singh Lucky, the Chandigarh Congress president, who pointed to a scuffle outside the municipal corporation office on Tuesday involving BJP workers, Congress activists, and members of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
Lucky alleged that during the altercation, BJP workers attempted to forcibly take away Bunty, subsequently restricting his freedom of movement. The incident occurred as Bunty, along with other councillors, was residing at a resort in Punjab and had come to withdraw his mayoral candidacy nomination for the Congress after allying with the AAP.
The legal teams of the Congress and the AAP initiated action at 10:15 pm, seeking a special hearing from the registrar general of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The petition, filed at 11 pm, was expeditiously taken up at Justice Alok Jain’s residence at 11:30 pm, with lawyers Ferry Sofat, Kartik Sharma, and Karambir Singh representing the Chandigarh Congress chief.
The plea demanded the immediate “release” of Bunty, citing a violation of his fundamental rights by the police, who allegedly hindered his free movement. A video clip from Bunty, asserting his desire to leave the hotel but claiming police obstruction, was also presented as evidence. The court, scheduling the hearing for 5 pm on Wednesday, directed the UT’s additional public prosecutor to investigate the matter and submit a comprehensive report. Earlier, the public prosecutor and additional public prosecutor had denied any illegal detention, requesting time to verify the facts.
With the mayoral elections looming, the BJP, victorious in the past two years, faces a formidable challenge from the combined strength of the AAP and Congress, following their national-level alliance. The outcome is eagerly anticipated, especially considering its proximity to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.