Drug racket case: HC stays non bailable warrant against Sukhpal Singh Khaira
Punjab and Haryana High Court has stayed the non bailable warrant issued to the Punjab Leader of Opposition Sukhpal Singh Khaira by a lower court in Fazilka in the drug smuggling case. High Court has also issued a notice to the state government for a response in the case and listed it for a hearing on November 9. “Being a crusader against drug mafia, mining mafia and corruption, systematic attempts have been made from time to time in this very case to drag the name of the petitioner with a view to silent him,” Sukhpal said in the plea filed through advocate Mehtab Singh Khaira. Stating that no offense has been committed by him, Sukhpal has said he is being victimised only because he has been “vociferous, fearless and independent” as the leader of opposition in the state. Sukhpal has been summoned under as an additional accused in the 2015 case registered under various sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. “The mere glance at the deposition of the said two witnesses (of the three) would reveal that both the said witnesses were specifically recalled for the purpose to depose against the petitioner and to array him in the arena of the accused. It seems that the investigating agency was waiting for the disposal of the writ petition and once the same has been withdrawn, they adopted the present modus operandi,” he has said in the plea. The trial court had last week sentenced nine persons to imprisonment, ranging from three years to 20 years. Sukhpal has said the summoning order has been passed after the trial had already been completed with the conviction of the accused. -PTC News
