Ludhiana: Bittu, Ashu among other Congress leaders get bail
The four Congress leaders were arrested on Tuesday during a protest when they themselves offered arrest outside the mini-secretariat; the court had ordered to send them to Ludhiana central jail on Judicial remand for 14 days
A local court on Wednesday granted bail to member of parliament Ravneet Singh Bittu, former cabinet minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu, district Congress president and former MLA Sanjay Talwar and former senior deputy mayor Sham Sundar Malhora.
The four Congress leaders were arrested on Tuesday during a protest when they themselves offered arrest outside the mini-secretariat. The court had ordered to send them to Ludhiana central jail on judicial remand for 14 days on Tuesday. However, citing security issues they were sent to Nabha Jail. Soon after the court orders, the leaders applied for bail.
They were granted bail by the court as the police did not demand their custody.
The defence counsel in the court stated that the four leaders never indulged in any illegal and unlawful activities and they have not committed any offence as alleged in the FIR. He claimed that Bittu and others have been falsely implicated in the case.
The assistant public prosecutor for the state opposed the bail application on the ground that allegations against the Congress leaders were serious in nature and there is every apprehension that they could tamper the evidence. The court in the order stated that the offence in the question is not heinous in nature. Moreover the police did not even seek police custody of the accused, thus showing that no purpose will be solved by keeping them behind bars.
A case was lodged against Bittu and the other leaders under sections 353, 186 and 149 of the IPC at Division number 1 police station on February 28 after the leaders had staged a protest and put a lock on the gate of the MC office in protest on February 27.
Congress workers welcome Bittu and others
Bittu along with other three leaders were welcomed by Congress workers at Dehlon and Gill roads after they were all released from the Nabha Jail on Wednesday. Bittu said that mission to visit the government offices will continue and wherever any laxity in the work will be found, we will again put lock at that office.
“The people of Punjab have given time of two years to the present government, but the government and officials are not delivering. Instead corruption is at its peak in the government offices and the people are being harassed,” Bittu said.
Bittu, who is vocal against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), an ally of INDIA bloc, said that the government is acting on the directions of their political bosses sitting in Delhi.
“They don’t know I am from a family where we are taught to sacrifice our lives for society. This jail or police FIR are very small things. I will again go to jail if people of Ludhiana are harassed or looted in the government offices,” he added.
Bittu stops to help road mishap victims
Returning from Nabha Jail after getting bail from the court, Bittu stopped on the road to help three men who met with a road mishap at Ludhiana-Malerkotla road near Dehlon.
The three men, who were tripling on a bike, rammed into a tree after losing control over the vehicle.
Bittu said the men were not wearing helmets and driving recklessly.
They did not suffer major injuries. He made a call to the police control room number. Later, when their family members reached the spot, Bittu left the place.