New Delhi, April 15
The Supreme Court today cancelled the anticipatory bail granted to Ambala Cantonment Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Baljinder Singh by the Punjab and Haryana High Court in a case under the prevention of atrocities against SC and ST Act.

A Bench comprising Justices AK Patnaik and SJ Mukhopadhaya set aside the January 31, 2012 order of the HC after advocate Jasbir Singh Malik contended that the ACP had on May 16, 2011 stripped his client and thrashed her at Panipat in full public view.

The police official had thrashed her in a bid to force her to withdraw a criminal case. The apex court noted that the SC/ST Act 1989 had a specific bar on grant of anticipatory bail and as such the accused could not be given any relief under Section 438 CrPC.

The victim contended that the HC had failed to appreciate the seriousness of the case and the allegations against the police official. The HC had granted the relief on the ground that the advocate for the victim failed to appear before it and that the accused was appearing before the trial court and was facing trial.

She contended that even after getting anticipatory bail, the accused had threatened her with dire consequences in a bid to force her to withdraw the case.

According to her, the accused had dragged her out of her house by holding her hair and taken her to the street. He slapped and kicked her and when she shouted for help about 20 persons tried to rescue her. However, the accused and another person tore her clothes and made her nude.

The sessions court at Patnipat had refused to grant him bail on May 16, 2011. At the time of committing the alleged crime, Baljinder was Deputy SP, headquarters Panipat.