Ludhiana MP acquitted in unlawful assembly case

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 26

A local court today acquitted Ludhiana MP Ravneet Singh Bittu in a case of unlawful assembly and disobedience.

Bittu was booked for violating Section 144 of the CrPC, imposed by the Deputy Commissioner, Chandigarh, on March 17, 2011, on a complaint of Sub-Inspector Iram Rizvi.

In the complaint, the SI stated that the DC had passed a notification under Section 144 of the CrPC under which the assembly of four or more persons was prohibited. The SI stated that Ravneet Bittu, MP, along with nearly 200 supporters, gathered near gate number 1 of the PGI and raised slogans despite the fact that he was apprised of the imposition of Section 144 in the area.

After investigations, a challan was filed and charges were framed on February 2, 2018, against the accused under Section 188 of the IPC and the prosecution examined five witnesses to prove the charges against the MP.

Defence counsel Terminder Singh contested that the accused had been falsely implicated in the case.

He argued that the alleged order of the DC was not with the prosecution. SI Rizvi could not produce the order nor was it published in any newspaper, he contested. No independent witnesses, including security staff of the PGI, were examined during the trial of the case, he added.

It was also argued that the prosecution could not examine any witness who received the order passed by the DC. The original FIR and the original order of the DC were also not produced in the court during the trial, argued the defence counsel. After hearing arguments, the court acquitted the accused. After the acquittal, Bittu said he had full faith in the judiciary and the truth had prevailed.