Mumbai: Punjab & Haryana High Court granted interim bail to its reporter Bhawana Kishore, cameraman Mrityunjay Kumar and Driver Parminder Singh today. In its judgment the Court has commented that the arrests of Mritunjay and Parminder was illegal and that provisions of the law were not considered by the arresting police officer and remanding magistrate in the matter. Both of them have been granted further liberty to move the trial court for full bail. Bhawana Kishore’s interim bail has also been extended till the next date of hearing before the High Court on 22 May 2023.
This judgment is a big relief after the ordeal faced by the channel and the trio who have been tormented and harassed in the aftermath of Operation Sheesh Mahal' wherein Times Now Navbharat uncovered details of the ultra-lavish and disproportionate expenditure incurred in refurbishing the official residence of the Delhi CM.
This incident, which has raised national concern over the gross and deliberate misuse of state powers along with the malicious use of SC/ ST Act, has gathered tremendous public support. The distressed families of the trio and Times Network welcome the judgment with great relief. This reinstates our belief that truth can never be silenced, no matter how devious the oppressors. This is a testament to Times Now Navbharat’s commitment to fearless journalism. We will continue to raise uncomfortable questions to those in power without fear of consequences.
In a bizarre turn of events on 5 May, Bhawana Kishore, along with cameraman Mrityunjay Kumar and Driver, Parminder Singh who went to cover a political program presided by Arvind Kejriwal in Ludhiana were implicated in a staged road accident case and falsely accused of using casteist remarks against a group of women, believed to be AAP workers, who in an e-rickshaw first rammed into the team’s car, got into a brawl and called the Ludhiana police. Bhawana Kishore’s illegal arrest violated several rules, including being detained without a lady police officer, arrest post sunset, denial of legal and telephone access and forced to sign documents in Gurmukhi, a language she didn't understand. Mrityunjay who was just a passenger in the car involved in the alleged accident was illegally and unnecessarily detained and has spent four nights in jail in gross disrespect of his dignity as a citizen.
