Is Punjab: Janata Party Chief Seeking Arrest Protection?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Chaturvedi is seeking legal protection amidst serious allegations.
- Confrontation between police forces raises questions about jurisdiction.
- Multiple FIRs have been filed against Chaturvedi based on complaints from MLAs.
- Legal processes must be observed to uphold justice.
- Political integrity is under scrutiny in Punjab.
Chandigarh, Oct 15 (NationPress) Following a recent clash between the Chandigarh Police and Punjab Police regarding custody, Navneet Chaturvedi, the president of the Janata Party, has approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court. He is seeking protection from arrest in connection with a criminal case alleging that he forged the signatures of legislators on nomination papers for the sole Rajya Sabha seat.
In his petition, Chaturvedi has requested a 10-day protection from arrest and has asked the Punjab Police to present the first information report (FIR) against him in court. He further claimed that the Punjab Police attempted to abduct him on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the Punjab Police have filed a petition in the high court for his custody. After an FIR was lodged in Ropar, a Punjab Police team attempted to apprehend him in Chandigarh, where the Chandigarh Police took him into custody instead.
Reports indicate that the Punjab Police filed multiple FIRs on Monday after several Aam Aadmi Party MLAs accused Chaturvedi of forging their signatures on nomination documents for the Rajya Sabha bypoll.
Advocate General Maninderjit Singh Bedi and Additional Advocate General Chanchal Singla have requested the transfer of custody of Chaturvedi to the Punjab Police, along with the commencement of contempt and departmental actions against officials who defied court orders.
Legal measures were taken by the Punjab Police after receiving complaints from current Members of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha (MLAs) about the alleged forgery of their signatures on the nomination papers submitted by Chaturvedi.
A spokesperson for the Punjab Police reported that the complainant MLAs received messages and social media notifications indicating that their names were listed as proposers in the nomination papers submitted by Chaturvedi to the Secretary of the Vidhan Sabha. Chaturvedi filed two nominations, the first on October 6 and the second on October 13.
The MLAs' complaints revealed that a handwritten list of proposers, which purportedly contained their signatures, was attached to the nomination papers and was being circulated online.
The MLAs have firmly denied signing or endorsing the nomination and have accused Chaturvedi of fraudulently using their names and signatures without consent.
The submission of forged documents before a constitutional authority constitutes a grave offense involving forgery, cheating, and criminal conspiracy. Consequently, FIRs have been registered at various police stations within the constituencies of the complainant MLAs against Chaturvedi.