The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Friday directed the immediate release of gangster-turned-politician Gurpreet Singh Sekhon upon furnishing bail bonds, holding that any further detention would amount to a violation of his fundamental rights.
The directions were issued by Justice Sanjay Vashisth while hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by Sekhon’s mother, who alleged that her son had been kept in illegal custody by the station house officer of Kulgarhi police station in Ferozepur.
Sekhon was taken into custody late Thursday night, with the Ferozepur police terming the arrest a “preventive measure”. Challenging the action, the petitioner approached the high court, contending that the detention was illegal, arbitrary, and carried out in a bailable offence.
The plea alleged political rivalry between the petitioner’s family and the village sarpanch, Mandeep Singh, who belongs to the ruling party. According to the petitioner’s counsel, the sarpanch was misusing his political position and influence to target Sekhon and his family.
Counsel for the petitioner submitted that Sekhon was ready and willing to furnish bail bonds. It was further argued that for this purpose, Sekhon’s counsel, Arshdeep Singh Randhawa, was waiting outside the court of the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM), but was not permitted to enter.
The counsel contended that preventing the furnishing of bail bonds and continuing custody in a bailable offence amounted to illegal confinement. It was argued that the action of the SDM was arbitrary, necessitating the filing of the habeas corpus petition.
Allowing the plea, Justice Vashisth directed the Ferozepur Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Magistrate to ensure that all bail bond formalities were completed without delay.
“The Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Magistrate, Ferozepur, is directed to ensure that the exercise of furnishing of bail bonds, at the instance of petitioner’s son Gurpreet Singh Sekhon, is accomplished, by respondent No.5 himself (SDM), or in case, concerned officer is not available, let the said exercise be got done by the Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Magistrate, Ferozepur himself, or through the concerned SHO of the Police Station,” the court ordered.
The court further directed that Sekhon be released from custody forthwith, cautioning that failure to do so would amount to a violation of fundamental rights and would warrant strict action against the erring officials.
Sekhon’s arrest came ahead of the zila parishad and panchayat samiti elections in Punjab, scheduled for December 14, with vote counting to take place three days later. Two members of Sekhon’s family are contesting the polls as Independent candidates from the Ferozeshah and Bazidpur zones, with the Shiromani Akali Dal extending support to them.
Following the arrest, several of Sekhon’s supporters held protests outside the Kulgarhi police station on Friday. Protesters blocked the Ferozepur–Ludhiana road and raised slogans against the police and the Aam Aadmi Party government, demanding his release.
Earlier in the day, Deputy Superintendent of Police (Rural) Karan Sharma stated that Sekhon had been arrested as a preventive measure along with two other accomplices.
