Non-bailable warrant against Himachal cricket chief

A court Friday issued a non-bailable warrant against Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) president Anurag Thakur in a criminal case for obstructing a public servant from discharging his duty.

Rejecting Thakur's application for exemption from personal appearance in the court, Chief Judicial Magistrate Jaswant Singh directed the state vigilance and anti-corruption bureau to produce the accused in the court Aug 20, the next date of hearing.

The court also issued a non-bailable warrant against former state Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) chief Narender Attri in the case.

Counsel for Thakur, who is also a Bharatiya Janata Party MP from Hamirpur, pleaded that he was absent because he was busy with parliament sessions.

However, the court rejected the application as there was no documentary evidence to substantiate that the accused is a member of parliament. Thakur has not signed the application submitted for exemption from personal appearance in the court.

The case was registered against Thakur and five others under section 186 of the Indian Penal Code (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions) Oct 24, 2013.

The case pertains to protest by the BJP activists outside a vigilance office here when Thakur was summoned to join the investigation in another case of cheating registered against the HPCA.

The vigilance bureau filed a cheating and misappropriation case against the HPCA over alleged wrongdoing in allotment of land to the sports body for construction of residential complex for players near its stadium in Dharamsala during BJP's tenure.

Former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal and his son Anurag Thakur were formally charged in a court in Dharamsala April 25, 2014 with alleged wrongdoing in allotment of the land.

The filing of the chargesheet came hours after the high court dismissed the HPCA's petition seeking quashing of a First Information Report (FIR) against them under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The HPCA has also been accused of encroaching upon land of the state sports and youth services department.