Chandigarh: Court allows bail to HC Bar body chief in assault case
Elected as the HC Bar body chief in December 2023, Malik was arrested on the complaint of advocate Ranjit Singh, a resident of Sector 23-D, who alleged he was assaulted by a group of individuals, including Malik, in his office on the high court premises on July 1
The court of additional sessions judge on Thursday allowed the regular bail application of Vikas Malik, president of the Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association, who was arrested in an assault case last month.
Elected as the HC Bar body chief in December 2023, Malik was arrested on the complaint of advocate Ranjit Singh, a resident of Sector 23-D, who alleged he was assaulted by a group of individuals, including Malik, in his office on the high court premises on July 1. The Bar Council of India had subsequently suspended his licence.
While allowing the bail plea on Thursday, the court stated that the attack seemed to have happened in the spur of the moment and did not appear to be premeditated.
“It would be a matter of trial to see whether the injuries were inflicted on the complainant with an intention to kill or not, and whether the SC/ST Act is made out against the accused,” said the court, adding that the accused was in custody since July 1, and the filing of chargesheet and the subsequent trial will take time.
“Therefore, no useful purpose is going to be served by keeping the accused in custody,” said the court.
While the police had opposed the bail plea, the defence counsel argued in court for two hours to present their side of the story and convinced the court why bail should be granted to accused.
The counsel, advocate Tarminder Singh and advocate Sunil Toni, argued that at the time of registration of the FIR, no offence of attempt to murder was added, but later both attempt to murder and SC/ST Act were added.
“Today, the investigating officer submitted the report of doctor in which all injuries were simple. Vikas Malik gave a complaint to the DGP and other senior officer regarding the present case, but no action was taken,” it was stated.