RANJIT SINGH Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THIS is a prayer for bail on behalf of Ranjit Singh, petitioner, who is stately residing in Canada for the last many years and I come to India during vacation after getting visa from the Government of India. It is contended by the learned counsel for the petitioner that the petitioner is not at all connected or associated with local politics nor he is interested in the same and even in Canada he is living by earning his bread with his own efforts and is not at all involved in political or anti -national activates and if this had not been so he would not have been granted visa to visit Punjab.

(2.) THE allegation against the petitioner is that he delivered a speech in a Gurdwara in village Talwandi which was objectionable. This speech was made on 12th July, 1987. As the speech was objectionable, a case under Section 153 B Indian Penal Code and under Section 3/4 of the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act was registered in Police Station Raikot on 15th July 1987. Along with the petition, the petitioner has attached affidavit of Nirmal Singh. Granthi of the Gurdwara another affidavit of Jagdish Singh son of S. Pakhar Singh, President of Local Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and of Gurdev Singh son of S. Budh Singh, Sarpanch of the village. These affidavits are to the effect that there is only one Gurdwara in the village, no gathering was held in the Gurdwara on 12th July, 1987 nor there was an occasion for anybody to make any speech. It is further stated in these affidavits that the said Ranjit Singh never made any speech. The grouse of the petitioner is that he has not indulged in any political activity but as he happens to be the son of Jagdev Singh Talwandi, who is a known politician, he has been implicated in this false case.

(3.) LEARNED counsel for the State has brought to my notice that the Investigating Agency has not been able to gather any evidence except the statement of two persons belonging to village Rajkot who say that while they were passing they had heard the petitioners speech.