Court stays arrest of Ludhiana District Cricket Association office-bearers in embezzlement case

The Court of Additional Sessions Judge Amandeep Kaur has stayed the arrest of Gagandeep Bhalla, alias Sunny Bhalla, honorary secretary of the Ludhiana District Cricket Association (LDCA), along with LDCA president Satish Kumar Mangal and treasurer Manik Bassi till July 1, in a case pertaining to alleged embezzlement and cheating.

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All three are supporters of Congress leader and party candidate from Ludhiana West Bharat Bhushan Ashu and have been actively involved in his election campaign. The FIR, lodged recently, names several LDCA office-bearers and accuses them of financial and procedural irregularities.

However, the Congress has termed the case as a classic example of political vendetta. Deepika Sunny Bhalla, Congress councillor from Ward 69 and wife of Sunny Bhalla, alleged that the AAP-led government and the police had done all this to stop them from playing active role in the Ashu’s campaign.

A battery of lawyers, including senior advocates Pawan Ghai, AK Shori, and Manan Berry, represented the petitioners in court and argued that the FIR was politically motivated.

“The complainant has already withdrawn his complaint from the Punjab and Haryana High Court,” they said, adding that the case was being kept alive solely for political reasons.

The FIR is based on a report from the Deputy Commissioner’s office, which mentions that irregularities were found in the functioning of the Ludhiana District Cricket Association. However, the FIR does not specify who committed the alleged embezzlement or the exact amount involved. The report vaguely refers to procedural and financial lapses committed by the president, general secretary, honorary secretary, treasurer, and other officials of the association.

The court has granted interim protection from arrest to the three petitioners and ordered a detailed probe to ascertain the identities of those responsible and the extent of the alleged misappropriation.

Meanwhile, Congress leaders have accused the AAP candidate from Ludhiana West, Sanjeev Arora, of orchestrating the FIR to silence Ashu’s key supporters ahead of the crucial June 19 bypoll.