Arrest of Akali leader, kin stayed

Our Correspondent

Abohar, February 13

The court of Sessions Judge, Fazilka, has stayed the arrest of Mohinder Pratap Bathla, his brother Harinder, Harinder’s wife Sangeeta and their son Arpit in connection with an inquiry by the Superintendent of Police in Abohar. The arrest stands stayed subject to joining of the inquiry proceedings pertaining to a letter allegedly written by a girl who died last year.

Mohinder Pratap Bathla is SAD businessmen wing district president. SAD president Sukhbir Badal had last week held a press conference in his presence in Chandigarh alleging that Bathla was being targeted due to political vendetta.

Mohinder, Harinder, Sangeeta and Arpit had sought a blanket bail.

The report from the SP indicated as if a complaint dated November 10, 2018, was moved by Cheena Sukhija was being inquired into, but no copy of the said complaint was enclosed. The counsel for the bail applicants explained that Cheena Sukhija has since died. She was in love with bail applicant Arpit Bathla and both the families had agreed to solemnise their marriage after completion of studies, but after her death, an anonymous complaint allegedly made by Cheena was received by the police that she was going to commit suicide. Her father Rakesh and mother Riya Sukhija had already issued their statements that their deceased daughter had not sent any such letter to the police.

After giving a careful thought to the submissions, the court stayed arrest of bail applicants.