CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana High court has turned down former Indian cricketer Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi's anticipatory bail plea in a poaching case registered against him.
Three-hour marathon hearing was held in the case during the day. The order comes a day after Haryana police deadline, asking Pataudi to join investigations, ended.
The High Court's order now leaves Pataudi and his associate only with two options: to either surrender before the police or approach the Supreme court for interim relief.
Seeking bail, Pataudi's lawyers argued that the police had already discharged Pataudi and Shashi Singh on June 3, and that the supplementary disclosure of another accused Madan Singh was irrelevant.
They also reiterated that the police were incompetent to investigate cases of the nature, registered under the Wildlife Act.
Opposing the plea, counsel for Naresh Kadiyan -- a Rohtak-based social activist connected to the People For Animals (PFA) organisation, Wild Life Trust of India and All India Bishnoi Mahasabha -- stressed the need for their custodial interrogation.
He argued that it was essential to find the ownership of the gun allegedly used in poaching, the precise place of hunting and the role of all participants in the episode.
Eight people, including Pataudi, allegedly hunted a black buck, a protected animal, and two rabbits in Kilrod area of Jhajjar.
A case was registered against the accused under various Sections of the Wild Life Protection Act. The only accused arrested was granted bail.
The Jhajjar court, however, rejected Shashi Singh's bail application and had asked him to approach the Special Environment Court in Faridabad for relief.
