Today(on 3rd May),Prominent Youth Congress leader and Karnal Lok Sabha candidate, Divyanshu Budhiraja, granted bail in a 2018 defacement case by a Panchkula court after surrendering due to non-bailable warrants.
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HARYANA: Today(on 3rd May), Divyanshu Budhiraja, a prominent Youth Congress leader and the party’s candidate for the Karnal Lok Sabha seat in the upcoming elections, has been granted bail by a court in Panchkula. The bail comes in connection with a 2018 case registered under The Haryana Prevention of Defacement of Property Act. Budhiraja surrendered before the court after non-bailable warrants were issued against him.
Judicial Magistrate Arunima Chauhan granted bail to Budhiraja following his application, pledging his presence in all legal proceedings. This decision follows the court’s previous declaration of him as a proclaimed offender, previously classified as a fugitive from justice.
In December 2023, Budhiraja was declared a proclaimed offender after warrants were issued against him by the Chief Judicial Magistrate, remaining unexecuted. However, his counsel argued in a recent application that the case was compoundable and bailable, justifying his release on bail.
Budhiraja’s legal representatives referred to a precedent established by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, contending that when an accused is declared a proclaimed offender for a bailable offense, incarceration can be averted if the accused presents a bail bond and surety, as per their argument.
The counsel emphasized-
“In this instance, the applicant is prepared to provide both bail bonds and surety bonds to the court’s satisfaction, thus warranting entitlement to bail.”
Furthermore, it was revealed during the court proceedings that Budhiraja has also approached the High Court to seek the quashing of the criminal case registered against him, based on the order declaring him a proclaimed offender.
The court was apprised of Budhiraja’s proactive measures to address the legal issues by petitioning to dismiss the criminal charges against him. This initiative arose following his declaration as a proclaimed offender, with the case slated for further review on May 7.
In the proceedings before the Magistrate court, Budhiraja was represented by Advocates Partap Singh and Parth Singh. Their diligent representation and legal arguments paved the way for the successful grant of bail to Budhiraja, enabling him to continue his campaign for the Karnal Lok Sabha seat.
This development has significant implications for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, as Budhiraja, a prominent leader from the Youth Congress, will now go head-to-head with former Haryana Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Manohar Lal Khattar. The competition between the two candidates is expected to intensify, with Budhiraja’s bail granting a boost to his political aspirations.
The decision to grant bail to Budhiraja reflects the court’s recognition of the compoundable and bailable nature of the case against him. It provides an opportunity for him to defend his reputation and contest the charges levied against him in a lawful and transparent manner. As the legal proceedings unfold, it remains to be seen how this development will impact the electoral landscape in Karnal and influence the voters’ decision in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
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