Punjab RS fake nomination row: HC seeks Punjab govt’s reply by Nov 4 on Navneet Chaturvedi’s plea; police standoff intensifies
Chaturvedi, accused of forging signatures of AAP MLAs to support his nomination, moved HC earlier in day seeking protection from arrest and requested that Punjab Police issue him a 10-day notice before any arrest
PTC Web Desk: In a dramatic turn of events surrounding the alleged fake nomination case in the Punjab Rajya Sabha bypoll, the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday issued a notice to the Punjab Government, seeking its response by November 4 on a petition filed by accused Navneet Chaturvedi.
Chaturvedi, accused of forging signatures of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs to support his nomination, moved the High Court earlier in the day seeking protection from arrest and requested that Punjab Police issue him a 10-day notice before any arrest.
Simultaneously, the Punjab Police also filed a petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, arguing that despite having registered an FIR and obtained warrants against Chaturvedi, the Chandigarh Police was obstructing their lawful arrest. The Punjab Police requested the court’s permission to take his custody.
At present, Navneet Chaturvedi remains in the custody of the Chandigarh Police, while Punjab Police officials have been camping outside Chandigarh’s Sector 3 police station since Tuesday night, demanding his handover.
The allegations
The controversy began when Navneet Chaturvedi filed his nomination for the vacant Rajya Sabha seat from Punjab, claiming support from 10 AAP MLAs. He allegedly submitted nomination papers bearing forged seals and fake signatures of these MLAs as his proposers.
When the forgery came to light, the legislators denied endorsing him and lodged a formal complaint, prompting the Ropar Police to register a case against Chaturvedi under charges of forgery and criminal conspiracy.
The dramatic face-off at Sukhna Lake
On Tuesday evening, Ropar Police officials tracked Chaturvedi to Chandigarh’s Sukhna Lake, where he was reportedly inside a Chandigarh Police vehicle. When the Punjab Police team, including an SP, two DSPs, and an inspector, attempted to detain him, a heated confrontation broke out between the two police forces.
Eyewitnesses claimed the situation turned tense, with pistols being drawn on both sides.
The standoff escalated until Chandigarh SSP Kanwardeep Kaur reached the scene and took control. She escorted Chaturvedi to the Sector 9 Police Headquarters, asserting that the accused was under Chandigarh Police protection due to his Rajya Sabha nomination status and could not be handed over to the Punjab Police without legal clearance.
War of words between officers
A video lasting 1 minute and 58 seconds has since surfaced, showing the intense exchange between Ropar Police SP (in plain clothes) and Sector 3 SHO Inspector Narendra Patial. The video shows Punjab Police personnel surrounding the car in which Chaturvedi was seated, while Inspector Patial can be heard saying, “You should have talked to me respectfully.”
The SP retorts, asking Patial to drive to the police station with their officer seated inside. Patial refuses, saying, “I will go where I need to. I’m not afraid of anyone.”
Soon after, SSP Kanwardeep Kaur arrived at the scene and instructed the Punjab Police officers to bring their documents and come to the Sector 3 police station for formal proceedings.
By Tuesday night, the number of Punjab Police officers at the Sector 3 station increased, and barricades were set up by Chandigarh Police to secure the premises. Despite hours of talks, Chaturvedi was not handed over to the Punjab Police.
Sources said that Chandigarh Police also retrieved Chaturvedi’s Call Detail Records (CDR), though no significant leads were found.
Ropar SSP Gulneet Singh Khurana confirmed that an FIR was registered at City Ropar police station and that a team comprising an SP, two DSPs, and an inspector was dispatched to Chandigarh to arrest Chaturvedi. However, the Chandigarh Police refused to grant custody, citing procedural requirements.
Interestingly, the Chandigarh Police vehicle in which Chaturvedi was seen on Tuesday night had a red beacon and a nameplate above the registration number. However, by Wednesday morning, the same vehicle appeared with no beacon and a covered number plate. Sources revealed that this vehicle earlier belonged to the DCP (Central) but is now stationed at Police Station Sector 26.
Amid the ongoing standoff, both sides approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday morning. The court has now issued a notice to the Punjab Government, directing it to file its response by November 4.