Partap Bajwa moves HC, seeks quashing of FIR

Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court today seeking quashing of an FIR registered against him over his “50 bombs have reached Punjab” remark.

In his petition, Bajwa has contended that the case against him arises out of political vendetta unleashed by the state and stems from his public criticism of the Aam Aadmi Party government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. The FIR amounts to abuse of process and is intended to muzzle dissent, he has averred. The case is expected to come up for hearing on April 16.

The Mohali police had booked Bajwa under Sections 353 (2) and 197 (1) (d) (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration) of the BNS on April 13 for allegedly providing misleading information with the intention to disturb peace.

The FIR, lodged the cybercrime police station, accuses Bajwa of promoting fear and disharmony and endangering the country’s sovereignty by saying during a TV show aired on April 9 that “50 grenades had reached Punjab, of which 18 had already been used and 32 were still to be detonated”.