The Punjab and Haryana High Court is scheduled to hear on Friday a petition filed by Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Kumar Pathak seeking directions to the Punjab Government and police authorities to disclose details of “two or any other FIRs” allegedly registered against him and to restrain the police from taking coercive action, including arrest, till he is able to avail appropriate legal remedies.
The petitioner sought directions for “forthwith disclosure/supply of certified copies” of the FIRs allegedly registered by the Punjab Police against the sitting Rajya Sabha member.
The plea further sought directions that the respondent-state and its police be restrained from taking “any coercive action including arrest” in pursuance of the FIRs until the petitioner was able to approach the appropriate court or forum for legal remedies “in the interest of justice”.
The petition also sought disclosure of particulars of the FIRs, including FIR numbers, dates of registration, names and addresses of the police stations and districts where the cases were allegedly registered.
The petitioner stated that he was a sitting Rajya Sabha member elected in 2022 with an “established academic and professional background” and was a “law-abiding citizen”.
The plea added that the petitioner had “recently exercised his constitutional right to change his political affiliation and merge with another political party”. “Immediately thereafter, the petitioner has been informed, through informal and media sources, about the alleged registration of two or any other FIRs against him by the Punjab Police,” the petition stated.
The petition alleged that despite “diligent efforts”, no details regarding the FIRs, including police stations, FIR numbers, dates, offences invoked or contents of allegations, had been supplied to the petitioner. Senior advocate RS Rai is expected to appear before the court on petitioner’s behalf
It was further asserted that the FIRs had also not been uploaded on the official website “in violation of binding judicial directions mandating such disclosure”.
“The deliberate withholding of information has effectively deprived the petitioner of his legal right to seek appropriate remedies, including anticipatory bail or quashing of proceedings,” the petition stated.
The plea further alleged that the conduct was “arbitrary, mala fide, and violative” of the petitioner’s fundamental rights under Articles 14, 19, 21 and 22 of the Constitution of India and “appears to be motivated by political vendetta”.
