Chandigarh: The Punjab and Haryana High Court issued an interim order on Wednesday, directing the Punjab government not to take “coercive” action against Partap Singh Bajwa, the Leader of the Opposition, until April 22.
The court also requested the government’s response regarding Bajwa’s plea to quash the first information report (FIR) filed against him for allegedly disseminating misleading information that threatens the country’s sovereignty and unity.
A vacation bench led by Justice Deepak Gupta issued a notice returnable by April 22, stating that “no coercive” action shall be taken against Bajwa until the next hearing.
Bajwa approached the High Court on Tuesday to challenge the FIR. He reportedly made a statement to a news channel claiming that “50 bombs had been sneaked into the state, with 18 having exploded and 32 still unaccounted for.”
According to the petition, Bajwa was asked during a TV show broadcast on April 13 about the recent decline in law and order in Punjab, which has seen several bomb blasts in the past six months, including one at the residence of a BJP leader and former Cabinet Minister.
In his response, Bajwa detailed the incidents and asserted that the Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government appeared to be neglecting intelligence reports, as they had failed to locate the remaining grenades that were allegedly smuggled into India.
The petition seeks the quashing of the FIR as well as any subsequent proceedings arising from it. Bajwa has been charged by the Cyber Crime Police Station in Mohali under Sections 197 (1) (d) and 353 (2) for spreading false information that could jeopardize national sovereignty and unity, in accordance with the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
On Monday, Chief Minister Mann warned opposition leaders against engaging in politics of fear and intimidation, stating that the public would not tolerate their divisive behavior. He labeled Bajwa’s comments as baseless and irrational, suggesting they were intended to instill panic among the populace. Mann asserted that neither state nor central agencies had any information supporting Bajwa’s claims, calling the statement false and irrelevant.