Punjab & Haryana HC stays action against Trident Group; Rajinder Gupta gets 30-day relief
Punjab and Haryana High Court stays PPCB action against Trident Group, granting 30-day relief to Rajinder Gupta; Sandeep Pathak also moves court seeking clarity on FIRs registered against him
PTC Web Desk: In a significant relief to Trident Group, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has stayed coercive action initiated by the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) against the company. The court directed that any action against the group can only be taken after giving it a 30-day notice period.
The order came after Trident Group, owned by Rajya Sabha MP Rajinder Gupta, approached the High Court challenging the PPCB’s recent inspection and subsequent action at its industrial unit. Gupta, who recently switched from the Aam Aadmi Party to the BJP, had sought judicial intervention against the regulatory move.
After hearing the matter, the Punjab and Haryana High Court issued interim directions, effectively pausing immediate action by the pollution control authority. However, the High Court has not yet delivered its ruling on the issue related to Gupta’s security cover. A decision on that aspect is expected later.
In a separate development, Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak has also moved the High Court, seeking details of cases allegedly registered against him by the Punjab Government. His plea is scheduled for hearing.
Pathak, who recently joined the BJP after parting ways with the AAP, has claimed that he learned through media reports that two FIRs had been registered against him under non-bailable sections. He has stated that neither the Punjab Police nor the state government has formally informed him about the location of these FIRs or the charges invoked.
In his petition, Pathak has requested the court to direct authorities to disclose where the cases have been filed and under which legal provisions. He maintained that he has not engaged in any activity that would warrant criminal proceedings.
According to his submission, Pathak was at his Delhi residence when he came across the reports and briefly left through a rear exit, fearing possible arrest. He later appeared publicly, reiterating that he had no knowledge of any FIR lodged against him.
The issue has triggered a political slugfest in Punjab, with opposition parties criticising the AAP-led government. Meanwhile, leaders from the ruling party have maintained that action will be taken strictly in accordance with the law against anyone found guilty.