Chandigarh: In a relief to Punjab Vidhan
Sabha Speaker Nirmal Singh Kahlon, Punjab and Haryana High
Court today granted him interim protection from arrest in a
graft case.
Justice MMS Bedi of the High court directed Kahlon to
appear before the special CBI Judge at Patiala tomorrow and
furnish the bail bonds as per that court`s directive, Kahlon`s
counsel Karmbir Singh Nalwa, who moved the bail plea for the
Speaker in the high court here, said.
"After furnishing the bail bonds, Kahlon will get interim
bail," the counsel told PTI here.
A special court in Patiala had rejected the anticipatory
bail plea of Kahlon on technical grounds last week in
connection with the case registered against him and 13 others
for alleged irregularities in selection of panchayat
secretaries during 1997-2002.
The bail application had been rejected by Special Judge
of CBI court Balbir Singh who, in his order, had said the
petition for anticipatory bail was not maintainable in his
court where the chargesheet against Kahlon and 13 others was
filed by CBI on July 9 in connection with the case.
CBI had filed a chargesheet for their alleged involvement
in large scale irregularities in recruitment of 909 panchayat
secretaries in Rural Development Panchayat department of
Punjab government when he was minister incharge of the
department during SAD-BJP government`s previous tenure from
1997 to 2002.
The court has already issued directions to start the
trial in the case from August 17 in which summons have been
issued to Kahlon and other accused.
-PTI
