A local court in Ludhiana granted bail to Congress leader Inderjit Singh Indi, a close associate of former cabinet minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu, after he was taken into custody by division number 8 police under preventive action. The development comes amid ongoing legal proceedings against Indi in multiple cases.
Background of the Case
On April 15, police registered a case against Indi for allegedly assaulting a labourer engaged in road construction work near Saggu Chowk. Indi secured interim bail in that matter. Subsequently, on Monday, police added Section 308(5) (aggravated extortion) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) to the First Information Report (FIR) based on a statement by the labourer, Ramadinkar Mukhia, a resident of Darbhanga, Bihar. Mukhia alleged that Indi had instructed him to convey a message to the contractor demanding a share of the profits.
Court Proceedings
During the court hearing on Monday, the court granted interim bail to Indi in the extortion case and directed him to cooperate with the investigation. However, within hours, police apprehended Indi under preventive action. Advocate Vijay Mahendru, representing Indi, stated that the court granted bail in the extortion case on Monday and subsequently granted bail under preventive action on Tuesday.
Mahendru alleged, "Police have been targeting Indi, and we apprehend that before the hearing of the regular bail application, which is scheduled for April 30, police may implicate him in another case. Therefore, we are applying for blanket bail so that he is not taken into custody again."
Previous Arrest
Indi was earlier arrested on December 20, 2025, on charges of attempt to murder and for allegedly obstructing an employee of the Municipal Corporation horticulture department from performing official duties. A local court released Indi on December 21, 2025, terming his arrest as "illegal."
The counsel for Indi has moved an application for blanket bail, expressing concerns that he could be implicated in further cases before the regular bail hearing. The court is expected to hear the regular bail application on April 30.
