Shimla, June 22
The Himachal Pradesh High Court deferred the hearing for the bail application of Puranjan Thakur, son of former MLA Bambar Thakur, in connection with the recent court complex firing incident.
Counsel for the applicant, N.S. Chandel, moved the bail application on Friday, and it was listed before the single judge bench of Justice Sandeep Sharma on Saturday.
The prosecution, led by Rajan Kahol, opposed the bail, arguing that Puranjan was the mastermind behind the plot, having met Sunny Gill on June 15, 2024, and provided him shelter before going underground.
During the hearing, Justice Sharma critically reviewed the status report. While the defense portrayed Puranjan as a victim of circumstances, the judge remained unconvinced. “The investigation is in its preliminary stages,” Judge Sharma noted. “We must ascertain the origin of the weapon used.” The decision was adjourned until June 25, with a directive for the investigation records to be presented.
The firing incident occurred on June 20 in the Bilaspur district court complex, where Saurabh Patial sustained bullet injuries. Patial, the main accused in an attack on former Congress MLA Bambar Thakur, was approaching the court when unknown assailants opened fire. Amidst the chaos, Patial managed to seek refuge in the court, while the firing shattered the glass of several nearby vehicles.
Based on the statement of the main accused, police booked Puranjan Thakur under Section 307 and the Arms Act. Sunny Gill, a youth from Punjab, and local resident Gaurav Nadda were arrested by Bilaspur police for their involvement in the shooting.
Police are currently trying to trace Puranjan Thakur following Sunny Gill’s accusation of his conspiracy in the incident.
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