Chandigarh, Feb 19: The Chandigarh Police have moved to cancel an FIR registered against Punjab MLA Pargat Singh and 14 other Congress members related to a demonstration held outside the Haryana Chief Minister’s residence two years ago. Officials affirmed that the cancellation report was recently submitted to the local court following an investigation that lasted over 24 months.
The case originated from a protest on February 20, 2024, where Congress leaders gathered to oppose the use of force against farmers at the Punjab-Haryana border. Law enforcement had initially booked the leaders under various sections of the IPC, including charges of assault and obstructing public servants from performing their duties. According to the original complaint filed by an Assistant Sub-Inspector, protesters had allegedly engaged in a scuffle with police personnel while attempting to reach the high-security residence.
Despite the initial allegations of physical altercations and the violation of prohibitory orders, the police maintained in their latest report that the matter does not warrant further prosecution. The leaders named in the FIR, including Sukhwinder Singh Kotli and Varinder Singh Dhillon, had consistently asserted that their gathering was a peaceful exercise of their democratic right to protest government policies.
The court has issued a notice to the original complainant regarding the police’s decision to drop the charges. A hearing has been scheduled for April 3, 2026, to determine whether the cancellation report will be formally accepted.
