Lok Insaaf Party leader and Punjab MLA Simarjit Singh Bains was granted interim relief by the Supreme Court on Tuesday, preventing the state government from arresting him until Thursday in an alleged rape case in which he is implicated as the main defendant.
The state government has been directed not to arrest the MLA until Thursday by a bench led by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana and including Justices A.S. Bopanna and Hima Kohli.
As part of the hearing, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing Bains, argued that his client had to file his nomination for the Punjab Assembly elections but had been issued non-bailable warrants.
On behalf of the complainant, Gagan Gupta spoke against the grant of relief to Bains.
Having heard the arguments, the bench ruled: "He is a contesting candidate. Let him contest and then arrest him... It is unfortunate that High Court has not passed an order in this case."
The matter will be heard on February 3.
In an attempt to defend himself, Bains has challenged a Ludhiana court order that issued an arrest warrant against him after he failed to appear in a case of alleged rape of a 44-year-old woman.
On several occasions, the complainant claims, Bains raped her in his office on the pretext of helping her financially.