Poaching case: Randhawa’s bail plea deferred to January 14

BAHRAICH: The Bahraich district court on Thursday deferred the date of hearing on the bail plea of international golfer Jyoti Singh Randhawa and former navy officer Mahesh Birajdar arrested on poaching charges in Motipur range of Katarniyaghat on December 26.

District Judge Upendra Kumar fixed January 14 as next date of hearing on their bail plea.

Meanwhile, chief judicial magistrate permitted to add section 48A of the Wildlife Protection Act against the duo. The CJM also agreed to add section 51(1C) of the Wildlife Protection Act in place of section 51 which was earlier imposed on them.

The added sections of the Wildlife Protection Act may create more legal problem to Randhawa in getting bail from the district court, said senior lawyer Musheer Ahmad.

Wildlife warden Awadhesh Kumar Pandey, who is also the investigating officer (IO) in Randhawa’s case, had applied at the CJM’s court to add section 48A and to add section 51(1c) in place of 51 of the Wildlife Protection Act on January 8.

Prosecution lawyer Suresh Yadav said both Randhawa and Birajdar were taken to CJM court on Wednesday and Thursday to change the remand. Yadav said personal presence of the accused was necessary to change the remand.

It was for the third time when date of Randhawa’s bail plea has been deferred. Owing to winter vacation Randhawa filed his bail plea through his lawyer Brijpal Singh on January 2, but the district court fixed January 7as the next date of hearing. On January 7, Randhawa filed an interim bail plea at the district court which was rejected.