HC disposes of journalist’s plea seeking protection, asks Punjab to proceed in FIRs against him

Taggar, who runs a web portal Punjab Dastavez, has four FIRs registered against him in Mohali, in connection with several offences, including extortion and rape. He is currently lodged in jail.

Taggar’s counsel sought protection for his client from “further false implication by those directly affected by the professional activities of the news channel Punjab Dastavez and Bharat Dastavez”.

The counsel argued that Taggar’s channel aired episode No. 502 “SSP Extortion Gang” on April 20, 2024, and Episode No. 500 “Blackmail and Extortion by Mohali Police” on April 18, 2024, highlighting high handedness of the police authority in Mohali. It is because of these episodes being aired on the news channels of the petitioner, that he has been falsely implicated in various FIRs, said Taggar’s counsel, submitting that “by lodging these FIRs all efforts are being made to silence the voice of a whistleblower. There is a threat to the life and liberty of the petitioner, thus, necessary direction should be issued for the petitioner’s protection.”

The State counsel, however, submitted that “the petitioner, a habitual litigant, along with a co-accused, was involved in blackmailing innocent citizens. Besides, he is involved in four FIRs registered in Mohali district, including heinous offences like rape”.

The State counsel added that the investigation into all FIRs has been conducted in a free and fair manner and “there is no malafide whatsoever as alleged by the petitioner. Taggar is currently behind bars and no legal right of the petitioner has been violated”.

On hearing the matter, Justice Bhardwaj said, “As evident from the record, the petitioner is facing prosecution in four FIRs. Admittedly, the petitioner is behind bars at present. It has been submitted by the petitioner’s counsel that he has been shifted from the District Jail, Roopnagar, to the District Jail, Ludhiana. Needless to say the shifting of the prisoners from one jail to another is an administrative function of the State. However, the legal rights of the prisoners do not change with the change of a prison.”

The Bench said the present petition seeks protection for the petitioner as allegedly there is a threat to his life. “It is apposite to note the petitioner is behind bars and the State is duty bound to provide necessary protection to all its prisoners, including the petitioner. Thus, no ground for issuance of a direction for issuance of advance notice to the petitioner as prayed by the petitioner is made out,” the HC held.

Disposing of the plea, the HC directed the Punjab government to “proceed in all FIRs registered against the petitioner as per law and ensure no legal right of the petitioner as a prisoner is violated as has been undertaken by the State counsel before this Court”.