Breaking: Ropar Court orders arrest of Navneet Chaturvedi; SSP Chandigarh directed to cooperate
Babushahi Bureau
Ropar/Chandigarh, October 15, 2025: In a significant development in the Punjab Rajya Sabha forged nomination case, Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Sukhwinder Singh of Ropar has issued arrest orders against Navneet Chaturvedi, the accused and self-proclaimed national president of the Janata Party. The court has also directed the SSP Chandigarh to cooperate with Punjab Police in executing the arrest.
Following the court’s directive, Rupnagar Police reached Chandigarh to arrest Chaturvedi. The order comes amid escalating tension between Punjab and Chandigarh Police over his custody.
Chaturvedi faces serious allegations of forging the signatures of several Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs on nomination papers submitted for the upcoming Rajya Sabha bypoll. Multiple FIRs have been registered in Punjab after AAP legislators denied signing his nomination forms.
Punjab authorities have alleged that on October 14, Chandigarh Police intervened and obstructed their attempt to arrest Chaturvedi, instead taking him to their headquarters. The Punjab Government has accused Chandigarh Police of “sheltering” the accused and hindering legal proceedings.
On the other hand, Chaturvedi has filed a counter plea, alleging that Punjab Police attempted to abduct him from a Chandigarh police station.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court is now expected to hear both petitions — Punjab Police’s plea for custody and Chaturvedi’s plea seeking protection from arrest — as the legal and political standoff intensifies ahead of the Rajya Sabha bypoll.
A dramatic face-off near Sukhna Lake on Tuesday further highlighted the deepening friction, as Ropar Police attempted to take Chaturvedi into custody, but Chandigarh Police reportedly refused to hand him over.
Earlier, Chaturvedi’s nomination papers were rejected after scrutiny when several AAP MLAs denied endorsing his candidature.
The controversy has triggered political outrage, with AAP accusing Chandigarh Police of acting under BJP influence to protect Chaturvedi.
The episode adds another twist to the Rajya Sabha bypoll scheduled for October 24, already mired in controversy and political tension across Punjab and Chandigarh.