SC grants 5-week protection to Randeep Surjewala from NBW in 2000 political agitation case

Appearing for Surjewala, Senior Advocate A M Singhvi said the matter was related to a political agitation when he was a Youth Congress leader and some vandalism is alleged to have taken place.

Singhvi argued that the NBW was issued on November 7 even before the Allahabad High Court pronounced its order on Surjewala’s plea under section 482 to quash the case.

Though the FIR was registered on August 21, 2000 in Varanasi, he was summoned for the first time on August 22, 2022 by the ACJM MP/MLA Court and he appeared personally before the court on August 31, 2022, Singhvi said.

The senior counsel submitted that the SC on April 7, 2023 had directed that he be given legible documents of the case, which he was given on July 27, 2023.

Singhvi said that the important essential documents like medical reports, arrest memo, and statement of accused were not given.

Meanwhile, Singhvi submitted that on March 20, 2023, the High Court allowed him to move a discharge application through a pleader and said no coercive steps be taken, which the HC repeated on July 12, 2023.

Subsequently, Surjewala moved the Allahabad HC for quashing the case and the HC reserved its order on October 30, 2023, which was yet to be pronounced when the NBW was passed. Though he approached the HC once again, it neither allowed mentioning, nor listing, the senior counsel said.

“I may be right or wrong. Why have an NBW now? Just wait for a while…”, Singhvi said, adding Surjewala is in charge of the campaign in Madhya Pradesh and is a senior General Secretary.

The senior counsel also said that the trial court had granted him bail after the chargesheet was filed.