Chandigarh: The Punjab and Haryana High Court Wednesday quashed the FIRs registered by the AAP government in Punjab against BJP leader Tajinder Bagga and ex-AAP leader Kumar Vishwas accusing them of spreading misinformation, communal tensions and posting inflammatory statements against AAP convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
Justice Anop Chitkara quashed the FIR against Bagga BJP's Delhi leader, who was booked after he targeted the Kejriwal-led Delhi government over tax exemption to the controversial movie 'The Kashmir Files'. He was accused of using inflammatory statements against Kejriwal and creating communal disharmony.
Also read: Punjab and Haryana High Court stays arrest of Kumar Vishwas till Aug 22
However, the court said that Bagga's statement was merely a “protest” against Kejriwal. Likewise, the court also quashed the FIR against ex-AAP leader Kumar Vishwas who was booked ahead of Punjab assembly elections for his statement to a news channel claiming that Kejriwal had supported separatists during the high-voltage campaign for the assembly elections.
Vishwas was booked under sections 153, 153A, 505, 505 (2), 116 along with sections 143, 147, 323 (assault), 341, 120-B (criminal conspiracy). Apart from Kumar Vishwas, a case was also registered against Congress leader Alka Lamba. Lamba was accused of supporting the remarks made by Vishwas. Following the quashing of the FIR, Kumar Vishwas took to Twitter to thank the judiciary.
He also asked the Bhagwant Mann government to “save the self-respect of Punjab”.
