CHANDIGARH, Aug. 27 — The Punjab and Haryana high court has dismissed a petition filed by Gillco group managing director and BJP leader Ranjit Singh Gill seeking interim protection from arrest.
Justice Tribhuvan Dahiya, while pronouncing the order, said the relief sought would amount to granting “blanket protection” without examining the evidence collected by investigators. The court added that Gill may seek pre-arrest bail if he is formally nominated as an accused.
Gill, who resigned from the Shiromani Akali Dal in July and joined the BJP on August 1, had requested a seven-day prior notice before any arrest. Hours after his BJP induction, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau carried out searches at his properties.
In his plea, Gill alleged political vendetta, claiming he was pressured to join the ruling Aam Aadmi Party and was targeted after refusing. The state government denied this, asserting that summons were issued before his BJP induction and clarifying that he has not been named in any FIR.
During arguments, the state submitted that while probing the 2021 drug case involving SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia, one Tara Singh Warraich — a former employee of the Majithia family’s company — stated on July 17 that Gill was a close associate of Majithia and that “significant illicit money” had been invested in the Gillco firm.
Following this, Gill was summoned on August 4 to join the investigation, and searches were conducted at his premises under warrants obtained from a Mohali court.
