Tajinder Bagga arrest: Delhi High Court seeks Delhi Police response on Punjab Police's plea to quash kidnapping FIR

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday issued notice in a petition filed by the Punjab Police seeking quashing of the first information report (FIR) registered by the Delhi Police against it in relation to the recent arrest of BJP spokesperson Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga..The Court directed the Delhi Police, Bagga and others to file their responses within four weeks and listed the case for further hearing on July 26.However, Justice Anu Malhotra did not issue notice on another plea by the Punjab government seeking to quash the orders passed by a Delhi Court for search and location of Bagga and his subsequent release from the custody of the Punjab Police.The Court said that it would read the files related to the matter and consider it again on May 26. .Bagga was arrested by a team from the Punjab Police earlier this month. En route to Punjab, the police party was stopped in Haryana by a Delhi Police team, which brought Bagga back to the national capital. The Delhi Police then registered an FIR claiming that the Punjab Police had abducted Bagga.This prompted petitions by the State of Punjab and the Punjab Police challenging the magistrate's orders as well as the FIR. Both pleas have effectively asked the High Court to quash the FIR and the orders passed by the lower court issuing search warrants and then ordering Bagga's release..It was contended by the Punjab Police and the State of Punjab that Bagga was arrested lawfully for creating disharmony and ill-will between various religious groups and was served five notices to join the proceedings. Despite this, he refused to cooperate and continued to make inflammatory statements. Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for the Punjab government today, argued,"He has approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court and the only order passed was that we should comply with Section 41A CrPC. It is on record that intimation was given to Delhi Police and even the family was informed," he submitted. Singhvi added that he is only asking for issuance of notice at present. .Appearing for the Delhi Police, Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain opposed the issuance of notice in the matter, arguing that the petition by the Punjab government is not maintainable. .Counsel appearing for Bagga argued that he has replied to each and every notice under Section 41A of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), which provides for notice of appearance before a police officer when the arrest of a person is not required."The entire allegations against me does not incarcerate me for more than three years. I am not a terrorist. They came here as if I am a terrorist. This is an effort by a political party to show their strength," the counsel said. .After hearing the parties, the Court agreed to the request of the Delhi Police Commissioner to be impleaded separately in the matter, since the Punjab government has only made the prosecutorial side of the Police as respondent. ASG Jain said that the Delhi Police has an image to protect in the matter, and therefore, they should be impleaded separately.