Court asks Jalandhar West MLA Sheetal Angural to compensate complainants for harassment

Deepkamal Kaur

Jalandhar, August 23

Passing an interim order in three cases related to AAP Jalandhar West MLA Sheetal Angural today, a local court has directed him to appear before the court tomorrow, submit his passport and file an undertaking that he would appear before the trial court on every date unless his personal appearance is specifically exempted. He has also been directed to cooperate with the court.

Angural had skipped over 18 hearings in the cases. Orders for issuing non-bailable arrest warrants against him were passed by the court of CJM Amit Kumar Garg on August 10.

Passing the orders today on a petition moved by Angural and represented by four lawyers, including Dr Anmol Rattan Singh Sidhu, the court of Justice Vikas Bahl ordered: “If the given conditions are complied with, he would be released on interim bail on furnishing bail bonds to the satisfaction of the trial court.”

Further, the court has even directed Angural to pay Rs 25,000 to complainant Harvinder Kaur Minty in both of her cases within a week as compensation for causing harassment. Angural and eight others are facing a case under Sections 506 and 509 of the IPC for passing comments against her on social media.

In the third case too, the court of Justice Bahl has passed orders to deposit Rs 25,000 for being released to complainant Varinder Kumar. The court has also directed the MLA to pay an additional amount of Rs 25,000 to the High Court Lawyers’ Welfare Fund within a week.

Further, the court has ordered that if the conditions are not complied with within the stipulated time, the interim order would be liable to be vacated. On August 16, the court of Additional District and Sessions Judge had rejected his bail petition in the three cases.