BJP VS AAP: Faceoff between cops of 3 states over 1 arrest

Tribune News Service

New Delhi/Kurukshetra/ Chandigarh, May 6

In a dramatic turn of events that brought the police of three states face to face, BJP leader Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga was arrested by the Punjab Police from his Delhi residence around 8.30 am today, stopped by the Haryana Police in Kurukshetra while being taken to Punjab and brought to the national capital by the Delhi cops a few hours later.

The incident triggered a political slugfest with the BJP accusing the Punjab Police of abducting its leader allegedly at the behest of AAP convener and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, against whom Bagga (36) has been quite vocal in criticism. Rejecting the charge, the AAP claimed the Delhi BJP spokesperson was arrested for allegedly stoking communal tension in Punjab.

Based on a complaint by Bagga’s father Preetpal Singh, the Delhi Police registered a case of kidnapping against the Punjab Police personnel. Sources in the Delhi Police claimed that their Mohali (Punjab) counterparts “violated” the mandatory norm of informing local cops before arresting Bagga from his residence in Janakpuri.

In a statement, the Mohali police claimed that Bagga was arrested in a case related to making allegedly provocative, false and communal statements in an interview given to the media and through posts on Twitter on March 1. They said five notices were served on the accused on April 9, 11, 15, 22 and 28, but “he deliberately did not join the investigation”. They said a case under Sections 153-A, 505, 505(2) and 506 of the IPC was registered against him on the complaint of Mohali AAP leader Sunny Ahluwalia.

Bagga had demanded an apology from Kejriwal for his speech in the Delhi Assembly regarding film ‘The Kashmir Files’, which a few BJP leaders had demanded be made tax-free. Kejriwal had contended that the filmmakers should upload the film on YouTube for all to watch free of cost.

The Punjab Government, on its part, moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court against the “detention” of its police team in Kurukshetra.

Diversionary tactic

It (arrest) was to divert attention from Kejriwal’s announcement that free and subsidised electricity in Delhi would be optional. Adesh Kumar Gupta, BJP Delhi Chief

Incited violence

Bagga tried to create communal tensions and incite violence in Punjab through social media posts. Saurabh Bhardwaj, AAP Chief spokesperson

The Delhi Police registered the case under IPC Sections 452 (house trespass, assault or wrongful restraint), 392 (robbery), 342 (wrongful confinement), 365 (kidnapping), 295 (injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class) and 34 (common intension). In his complaint, Bagga’s father said, “I was present at my home along with my son when, around 8.30 am, someone knocked on the door repeatedly. When I opened, a few persons entered my home and manhandled me. Some of them had weapons.

“They started asking me where is Tajinder Singh Bagga? When I asked them what they wanted from Tajinder, they slapped me. Later, my son came there and they started beating him up and didn’t even allow him to put on his turban while they were arresting him. When I tried to intervene, they pushed me,” it said.

The Punjab Police team that had arrested Bagga was on way to Mohali when it was stopped on the NH-44 near Khanpur Kolian village in Kurukshetra around 11.30 am. As a large number of BJYM workers soon reached the spot demanding Bagga’s release, the BJP leader and the Punjab Police team were taken to the Thanesar Sadar police station. Delhi Police officials reached the police station around 2.10 pm and Bagga, based on a search warrant issued by a Delhi court, was taken back to the national capital. The Delhi Police had shared the warrant with the Haryana Police when the latter stopped their Punjab counterparts.

Sources said the Haryana Police had information that Bagga had been “forcibly” picked up from his residence and they needed to verify and crosscheck the allegations.

Mohali DSP (City-1) Sukhnaaz Singh said, “A police team was sent from Mohali to Delhi last night. A team arrested them today morning and simultaneously, another team reached the police station concerned in Delhi to inform local cops. The entire process has been video-recorded. Although Bagga resisted arrest, no force was used against him or his father.”

HIGH DRAMA

8.30 am: Punjab cops arrest Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga from his Janakpuri residence in New Delhi

11.30 am: Haryana Police intercept Punjab cops on NH-44 near Khanpur Kolian village in K’shetra

12.10 pm: BJYM workers reach site, protest to seek his release

12.40 pm: Bagga along with Punjab cops taken to the Thanesar Sadar police station

2.10 pm: Delhi Police officials reach police station, produce search warrant from Delhi court

2.45 pm: Bagga’s custody handed over to Delhi Police

4.20 pm: Punjab ADGP Sharad Satya Chauhan reaches K’shetra

7.30 pm: ADGP Chauhan, other Punjab Police personnel held up in K’shetra return to home state

Bagga ignored notices: Punjab cops

• Tajinder was booked on a complaint by Mohali AAP leader Sunny Ahluwalia (in pic) for allegedly stoking communal tension in Punjab through his statements. Cops say despite five notices, he “didn’t join probe”.

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