Akali leader’s daughter released after midnight hearing by Tarn Taran court

Akali leader’s daughter Kanchanpreet Kaur, arrested by the Chabal police on Friday in connection with a case linked to alleged intimidation during the Tarn Taran Assembly bypoll, was released from police custody on Sunday after the district court issued orders in this regard following an extraordinary sitting that lasted past midnight.

The verdict was pronounced by Judicial Magistrate Pankaj Verma at 4 am, after a four-hour hearing, which began at 10 pm on Saturday and culminated at 2 am.

Kanchanpreet is the daughter of SAD leader Sukhwinder Kaur Randhawa, who had unsuccessfully contested the recent byelection. A series of cases pertaining to criminal intimidation and violations of the model code of conduct were registered against Kanchanpreet during the election period, prompting allegations of “political vendetta” from the Akalis. The police had claimed that the arrest was made to unravel a “criminal network run by her Canada-based gangster husband Amritpal Bath”.

On Saturday, Kanchanpreet through her counsel Arshdeep Singh Kler moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court against her arrest, calling it “illegal and unlawful”. State counsel Chanchal K Singla, however, opposed the submissions, saying Kanchanpreet’s complicity surfaced as her husband was involved in 23 FIRs.

The HC in its order directed the magistrate to take into consideration the contention raised by the petitioner’s counsel before taking any decision on Kanchanpreet’s remand sought by the state.

At 10 pm, the district court began hearing arguments after it was directed by the HC to wait for Kanchanpreet’s lawyers to appear before it by 8 pm. In the meantime, the state government too submitted a plea through the office of the Advocate General. The proceedings continued till 2 am with the court issuing orders for her release at 4 am.

Kanchanpreet, flanked by Akali leader Virsa Singh Valtoha among others, expressed happiness at the verdict. Valtoha later announced her candidature from Tarn Taran’s Kasel zone in the upcoming zila parishad elections.

Meanwhile, Kler alleged that an unidentified woman disguised as Kanchanpreet was produced in court to “misguide” the media and public.

He said the police had misused Section 111 (pertaining to organised crime) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) on the basis of which Kanchanpreet had been arrested.

SSP Surender Lamba, however, said the police in their investigation had brought to the notice of the court some serious facts, including that Kanchanpreet’s husband was facing 23 cases of killing, extortion and other heinous crimes.

Kanchanpreet was charged under Sections 174 (non-attendance in obedience to an order from public servant), 351(2) (criminal intimidation), 351(3) (criminal intimidation by anonymous communication), and 111 of the BNS.