Chandigarh, May 22
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today allowed the regular bail plea of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Amit Rattan Kotfatta in a corruption case. He, along with another person, was arrested in February this year in a case registered under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act at Vigilance Bureau police station, Bathinda range. The bail order by Justice Raj Mohan Singh was not yet available.
Appearing before Justice Raj Mohan Singh’s Bench on the petitioner’s behalf, senior advocate RS Rai with SPS Aulakh had, among other things, submitted that the requisite period of 60 days for filing the challan/report under Section 173 CrPC had expired on April 17.
The challan was filed to prevent the petitioner from availing the benefit of default bail under Section 167(2) of the CrPC. The challan was, in fact, filed on April 17 only against the petitioner and co-accused Rashim. The investigation was still pending. The prosecution mentioned in the challan itself that final challan under Section 173(8) CrPC would be filed later in the Court.
