HC extends stay order of former Punjab DGP, Supreme Court orders to hear it again

The Supreme Court is shocked as the Punjab and Haryana High Court has extended the stay on arrest of former Punjab DGP Sumedh Singh Saini till April 20. The apex court questioned that how can a future course of action be stayed. A bench of Chief Justice of India N V Ramana and Justices AS Bopanna and Hima Kohli issued the Chief Justice of High Court to either hear the matter himself or assign it to other bench except the one who passed the interim order.

Chandigarh:The Punjab and Haryana High Court has extended the stay on arrest of former Punjab DGP Sumedh Singh Saini till April 20, on Thursday, in all cases pending against him except the case registered for the murder of Balwant Singh Multani which is pending before the Supreme Court. Justice Arvind Sangwan passed the order while hearing Saini's petition.

Consequently, on Friday, the Supreme Court reacted to the ‘unprecedented’ order passed by the High Court. A bench of Chief Justice of India N V Ramana and Justices AS Bopanna and Hima Kohli issued the Chief Justice of High Court to either hear the matter himself or assign it to another bench except for the one who passed the interim order.

The bench questioned how can a future course of action stay. The apex court further said that it is an unprecedented order. It is shocking and will require a hearing.

Earlier last year, the High Court had stayed the arrest of Saini and any further investigation while hearing the petition filed by Saini stating that the Punjab government wanted to trap him in a political maelstrom and all this was being done to take advantage of the forthcoming Assembly elections 2022. Meanwhile, Saini has been ordered that he can not leave the country without the court's prior permission.

(With agency input)