On April 16, 2025, the Punjab and Haryana High Court took up a plea filed by Congress MLA and Leader of Opposition, Pratap Singh Bajwa, seeking to quash an FIR registered against him for making a controversial remark during a television show.
In a significant interim relief, the Court directed that "no coercive action shall be taken" against Bajwa until the next hearing, which is scheduled for April 22.
The FIR in question was lodged against Bajwa for allegedly stating during a televised interview that “50 bombs have reached Punjab”—a claim that drew criticism and triggered legal action.
According to the plea filed, Bajwa’s statement was made in response to a question about the recent deterioration in law and order in Punjab. He pointed out that several bomb blasts had occurred over the last six months, including an incident at the house of a former BJP Cabinet Minister in Jalandhar Town.
The petition further explained that Bajwa highlighted the inability of the current government to track down the remaining grenades allegedly smuggled into India, questioning the effectiveness of the state’s intelligence apparatus.
“The Chief Minister should wake up and pull up the Intelligence agencies who have failed to trace out the remaining bombs to avoid any further such incidents which have caused fear amongst the citizens of Punjab,” the plea read.
The vacation bench of Justice Deepak Gupta issued a notice of motion for April 22 while granting temporary protection to Bajwa from any coercive measures.
The FIR has been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) provisions:
- Section 353(2): Deals with making, publishing, or spreading false statements or alarming news that could promote enmity or ill-will on the basis of religion, race, caste, community, etc. Punishment includes up to three years of imprisonment, a fine, or both.
- Section 197(1)(d): Pertains to imputations and assertions that are prejudicial to national integration.
In addition to quashing the FIR, Bajwa’s plea also seeks protection from any coercive steps, especially in light of a notice served under Section 35(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).
“The entire recording of the talk show only highlights the need for vigilance and puts the Government on red alert. There was no intention to spread panic or misinformation,” the petition clarified.
The High Court will further examine the matter on April 22, and until then, Bajwa remains protected from arrest or other coercive actions related to the FIR.
Case title: Pratap Singh Bajwa v/s State of Punjab
Counsel for the petitioner: Senior Advocates APS Deol and Vivek Tankha
State counsel- Deepinder Singh Addl. AG, Maninder Singh Sr. DAG. Advocate Farry Sofat
