Ashu's bail plea declared 'infructuous'

A local court rejected Ashu's anticipatory bail amid heated Ludhiana West by-election tensions.

- TARUNI GANDHI

A dramatic turn of events preceding the Ludhiana West by-election saw a local court on Wednesday reject Congress leader Bharat Bhushan Ashu's anticipatory bail plea as "infructuous." The Punjab Vigilance Bureau apprised the court that Ashu had not been included as an accused in the FIR for the school land misuse case but had merely been called to assist in the investigation.

The FIR, filed on January 8 at Ludhiana's Division No. 5 police station, pertains to 4.7 acres of land in Sarabha Nagar that was originally allotted by the Ludhiana Improvement Trust for a charitable school. The school committee is alleged to have misused the plot to run commercial operations.

Ashu's attorney, Vijay Mahendru, stated, "As Ashu is neither an accused nor wanted for arrest, the court found the plea for bail unnecessary. A detailed order will be issued on Thursday."