Bagga arrest case: Delhi HC notice on Punjab Police's plea

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday sought the response of the Delhi Police on a plea moved by the Punjab Police seeking quashing of an FIR lodged against it under sections of kidnapping in relation to the arrest of BJP spokesperson Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga from his West Delhi residence.

Though the bench of Justice Anu Malhotra issued a notice in the kidnapping matter, it did not issue any notice in another petition filed by the Punjab government seeking quashing of a Delhi Court order for finding Bagga which led to his release from the Punjab Police's custody.

The matter will be heard in detail further on May 26.

During the course of the hearing, Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi appeared on behalf of the Punjab government.

Bagga was picked up from his residence in the Janakpuri area on May 6, a month after he was booked for his alleged remarks against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over the latter's views on the movie 'The Kashmir Files'.

The Haryana Police reportedly stopped Punjab Police at Kurukshetra when they were taking the BJP spokesperson to Mohali.

Later, the Punjab and Haryana High Court stayed the arrest of Bagga and directed the Punjab government not to take any coercive action against him.

The Delhi Police, which reports to the Union Home Ministry, later took Bagga's custody and released him after a due legal process.

A day after Punjab and Haryana High Court granted him relief from arrest till July 5, BJP youth wing national secretary Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga had alleged that Punjab police treated him like a terrorist.