Five sacrilege accused get bail

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 15

Just about three years after the Punjab Police registered a case for outraging religious feelings and criminal conspiracy related to an incident of sacrilege in the state, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has granted regular bail to five accused.

The orders by Justice Arvind Singh Sangwan came on a bunch of two petitions filed against the state by Jatinderveer Arora, Baljit Singh and other petitioners through counsel Bipan Ghai and Baltej Singh Sidhu. They were seeking grant of regular bail in the case registered on June 21, 2016, under Sections 295-A and 120-B of the IPC at Dialpura police station in Bathinda.

Counsel for complainant-villagers Navkiran Singh had opposed the plea for the grant of regular bail. Justice Sangwan in one of the petitions asserted the petition was allowed and the petitioner was directed to be released on bail subject to his furnishing bail/surety bonds to the satisfaction of the trial court/illaqa/duty magistrate.

Justice Sangwan made it clear that the order was passed without commenting anything on merits of the case and considering the fact that the petitioner was in custody from past more than seven months.