Punjab Congress MLA Khaira moves High Court against his arrest
Punjab News: Sukhpal Singh Khaira, an MLA from Bholath in Punjab, has approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court after the arrest and orders of the trial court to extend his custody on the orders of the inquiry committee.
Sukhpal Khaira claimed that he was illegally arrested in an FIR lodged in March 2015 and he should be released from the case.
The case was registered under the NDPS, apart from the Arms Act. In his plea, Khaira said he had lived a life of dignity and respect. He has rendered public service all his life, but he is clearly subjected to gross harassment for indirect, politically motivated, malicious, inconsistent and annoying thought.
Cited the Supreme Court’s action
Khaira has cited the Supreme Court’s action in the High Court. He says that in 2017, the Supreme Court had summoned him as an additional accused and stayed the trial court proceedings against him.
He was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in 2021 on charges of money laundering linked to the 2015 drugs case. He got bail in 2022. In February 2023, the apex court quashed the summons order against him in the drugs case. He was arrested by the Punjab Police on September 28 from his Chandigarh residence.
The judge cited the old case
During this time, the matter reached Judge Vikas Bahl for hearing, but he refused the hearing and sent the case back to the Chief Justice.