Ropar, September 23
Arguments on an application filed by the counsel for former PPSC Chairman Ravinder Pal Singh Sidhu with regard to his discharge for want of territorial jurisdiction led the proceedings in the bribery case in the court of the Special Judge, Mr A.S. Kathuria, here today.
Sidhu’s counsel had filed the application on September 21 claiming that the Special Judge had no jurisdiction to try the case as the trap had been laid by the Vigilance Bureau at Chandigarh and the alleged recovery of the “bribe money” i.e. Rs 5 lakh had also been made from there.
Sidhu’s counsel cited the rulings of the Supreme Court and high courts to prove his claim, while Mr H.S. Kang, Public Prosecutor, opposed the pleas of the defence counsel. He said the CrPC had provisions that the court of the Special Judge had the jurisdiction to try the case as the FIR against Sidhu had been registered at SAS Nagar by the Vigilance.
The defence counsel said the demand for bribe and its acceptance were separate offences which had taken place at two different places. So the Vigilance could only act against that offence which took place at SAS Nagar and it could not act against the offence which took place at Chandigarh. He also showed a notification of the Punjab Government, which stated that the area of operation of the Vigilance would be the entire state. He said this proved that the Punjab Vigilance authorities could not conduct raids at Chandigarh.
Arguing on the issue of territorial jurisdiction the defence counsel also emphasised that the issue should be settled before the framing of charges against Sidhu.
He also submitted an application in the court for supplying him legible copies of certain documents of the challan papers in the case related to the possession of assets disproportionate to known sources of income by Sidhu. The court directed the prosecution to supply legible copies of the required documents to the defence counsel.
The court has fixed September 28 as the next date of hearing in both cases.
