Video Producers: Shohini Bose, Mayank Chawla
Video Editor: Purnendu Pritam
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga was arrested from his Delhi residence by the Punjab Police on Friday, 6 May, on complaints of causing instigation, criminal intimidation to cause violence, imminent hurt by publishing false, and communal inflammatory statements on social media.
Bagga's arrest took place over allegedly issuing death threats to Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) National Convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over the latter's views on the controversial Bollywood film The Kashmir Files.
The Punjab police cavalcade that was taking him to Mohali following his arrest was intercepted by the Haryana police. He was later handed over to the Delhi police at the Thanesar police station in Haryana's Kurukshetra. Bagga later returned to Delhi on Friday evening.
Here's all that happened during the day and how his arrest was initiated.
Punjab Police Arrests Bagga From His Delhi Residence
Punjab Police arrested BJP leader Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga from his Janakpuri residence in West Delhi on Friday morning at around 6 am. This came a month after he was booked for his statements against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over the latter's views on the controversial Bollywood film The Kashmir Files. The Punjab Police had reportedly intimated the Janakpuri police station.
The Punjab Police said on Friday that Bagga had failed to appear before it despite having been served five notices. The Punjab Police was taking Bagga to Mohali and would have produced him in court.
"In pursuance of the orders of the high court to strictly adhere to the directions of the Supreme Court in Arnesh Kumar vs the State of Bihar and another, 2014(8) SCC 273, the accused was served five notices u/s 41 A CrPC to come and join investigation. The notices were served on April 9, 11, 15, 22 and 28. In spite of that, the accused deliberately did not join the investigation," the officials said.
Later, the Delhi Police registered an FIR against Punjab Police for not following proper rules during Bagga's arrest.
Punjab Police Cavalcade Stopped in Kurukshetra, Haryana
The Punjab police cavalcade that was taking Bagga to Mohali following his arrest was intercepted by the Haryana police in Kurukshetra, Haryana. The cavalcade was reportedly stopped for not following due procedures while arresting Bagga.
He was then taken to the Thanesar Police Station in Kurukshetra. Meanwhile, Delhi Police officials left for Kurukshetra.
The Senior Superintendent of Police, SAS Nagar Mohali, later sent a letter to his counterpart in Kurukshetra, requesting the release of the Punjab Police team and Bagga so that he may be presented before the court "in time as per law". He added that the team being stopped "tantamounts to illegal detention and interference in the administration of criminal justice system".
Meanwhile, a member of the BJP Yuva Morcha said that members of the organisation would remain outside the Thanesar Police Station in Haryana till he's released.
Delhi Police Team Reaches Haryana Police Station
A team of Delhi Police officials reached the Thanesar police station in Haryana, where Tajinder Singh Bagga and the Punjab team were taken.
Punjab ADGP Sharad Satya Chauhan also left for Kurukshetra.
Several BJP workers protested against Bagga's arrest outside Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) office and were detained by the Delhi police.
Delhi Police Takes Custody of Tajinder Bagga, Punjab Police Moves HC
Meanwhile, Delhi Police took custody of Bagga and took him back to Delhi.
Subsequently, the Punjab Police approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court. AG Anmol Rattan Sidhu reached the court along with police officers. The state charged Haryana police for wrongly interfering in the case.
AG Sidhu said things were going as per procedure when the Haryana Police intervened, leading to a delay. He also said that Haryana Police making the Punjab police team wait for six hours and then handing Bagga over to the Delhi Police was a violation of law, adding that Haryana Police had made a mockery of the law.
Meanwhile, Satyapal Jain, appearing on behalf of the Delhi police, claimed that Punjab Police had not informed their Delhi counterparts and called it a political vendetta. Bagga's lawyer Chetan Mittal said that 50 police officials reached his house on Friday morning as if he was a terrorist.
Meanwhile, Punjab urged the high court to not let the Delhi police cross the Haryana border with Bagga. The HC asked the Haryana government to explain why it had stopped the Punjab police with Bagga at Kurukshetra. Later, the High Court turned down the Punjab government's request to keep Bagga in Haryana. Meanwhile, the Delhi police team crossed Panipat.
BJP leader Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga returned to Delhi on Friday evening hours after being arrested by the Punjab Police.
(With inputs from ANI and The Indian Express.)
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