Chandigarh court allows Bhagwant Mann's anticipatory bail plea

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 9

A local court has allowed anticipatory bail application of AAP MP Bhagwant Mann and directed him to join the investigation within the next 10 days.

Mann had filed the application through advocate Amrinder Vir Singh Barsat in an FIR registered by the UT police on January 10 last year. Besides Mann, the court has also allowed the anticipatory bail application filed through Counsel Ankur Chaudhrie to another leader and MLA Master Baldev Singh in the case.

The police had registered a case against 10 AAP leaders, including Bhagwant Mann, Harpal Singh Cheema and Aman Arora, for allegedly pelting cops with stones in a demonstration held opposite the MLA Hostel.

Mann’s counsel argued that the FIR was an outcome of a political stunt of the party in power just to tarnish his reputation. The police registered the FIR in haste without verifying the facts and the allegations levelled against Mann are purely a work of fiction. There is no specific role or injury attributed to him. He has not used any type of criminal force upon any public servant to deter him from performing his lawful duty. No injury has been caused to any public servant.

In reply, the Public Prosecutor argued that the accused, along with other workers, committed the offences of rioting, disobeying the DM orders and assault on public servant, which were serious in nature.

After hearing of the arguments, Dr Rajneesh, Additional Sessions Judge, Chandigarh, allowed the anticipatory bail application of Mann and directed him to join the investigation before the investigating officer/SHO concerned within 10 working days.

“In the event of arrest, the applicant is ordered to be released on bail on furnishing bail bonds of Rs50,000 with one surety in the like amount to the satisfaction of the SHO/arresting officer for the offences mentioned in the FIR, subject to certain conditions — that the applicant will make himself available for investigation/trial of the case, as and when required; the applicant will not influence the prosecution witnesses; and the applicant will not leave the country,” the order stated.

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