HC declines to quash summons to Sukhpal Khaira in drug case

Khaira’s name had come up in the case after the arrest of nine smugglers by the police in Fazilka in March, 2015, along with 2-kg heroin, 24 gold biscuits, one country-made pistol and two Pakistani SIM cards.
Chandigarh : Punjab and Haryana high court on Friday morning declined to quash summoning orders of a Fazilka court to Punjab assembly leader of opposition, Sukhpal Khaira in a 2015 drug seizure case.
However,court quashed the non bailable warrants issued against Khaira. It said trial court will decide the matter on merit. Detailed order is awaited.
Khaira’s counsel Randeep Rai had termed the case a ‘classical instance of political vendetta’ to ‘tarnish Khaira’s reputation’.
Khaira’s name had come up in the case after the arrest of nine smugglers by the police in Fazilka in March, 2015, along with 2-kg heroin, 24 gold biscuits, one country-made pistol and two Pakistani SIM cards. According to the prosecution, Khaira’s name had cropped up during the interrogation of these smugglers. On October 31, a Fazilka court sentenced them to imprisonment, ranging from three to 20 years, for trans-border heroin smuggling. The court had summoned Khaira on November 30.
Khaira’s counsel Randeep Rai had termed the case a “classical instance of political vendetta” to “tarnish Khaira’s reputation.”
“Being a crusader against drug mafia, mining mafia and corruption, systematic attempts have been made from time to time in this very case to drag the name of the petitioner with a view to silent him,” Khaira’s counsel had said.