The police booked 24 Congress and BJP leaders in Jalandhar for opposing the demolition of a hotel owned by a media house, arresting 16 of them and keeping them in custody overnight.
Those arrested included former MP Sushil Rinku, former MLAs Sheetal Angural and Rajinder Beri and several municipal councillors. All were later produced in a local court and released on personal bail bonds.
Former BJP minister Manorajan Kalia, who was also among those detained at the Sadar police station, fell ill in the night and had to undergo a medical check-up.
Hundreds of supporters of these leaders gathered outside the court complex raising slogans against the Aam Aadmi Party, Punjab Police and the Jalandhar Municipal Corporation.
BJP state working president Ashwani Sharma alleged, “The AAP was acting against the BJP leaders as the party had managed to hold a good show during the rally of Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Moga recently.”
BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh also reached Jalandhar and said, “The party leaders and workers of Jalandhar have shown the ruling AAP in the state that it was ready to take them head-on for the forthcoming 2027 Assembly elections.”
The 24 leaders, including woman MC councillor Dr Jasleen Sethi, have been booked under various sections of the BNS at the Navi Baradari police station.
The leaders were represented by lawyer Mandeep Sachdev, who said it was a peaceful protest. He said 16 leaders had been let off on bail and anticipatory bail pleas had been moved for the remaining eight