Tarn Taran: In an unusual overnight hearing, a Tarn Taran district court ordered the release of Kanchanpreet Kaur from police custody early Sunday morning, concluding nearly ten hours of legal back-and-forth.
Judicial Magistrate Pankaj Verma announced the decision around 4 a.m., prompting celebrations among Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) workers who had gathered outside the courthouse through the night. Kanchanpreet, standing alongside senior party leader Virsa Singh Valtoha and others, said she was relieved by the ruling and reiterated her confidence in the judicial process.
Kanchanpreet had been taken into custody by the Chabal police on Friday. She is the daughter of SAD leader Sukhwinder Kaur Randhawa, who recently contested—though unsuccessfully—the Tarn Taran Assembly by-poll.
The dramatic night unfolded after the Punjab and Haryana High Court instructed police to shift Kanchanpreet to judicial custody and wait for her legal team to appear before the district court. The deadline for her counsel’s arrival was set for 8 p.m. on Saturday.
However, the proceedings were delayed after the state government filed an application through the office of the advocate-general. Arguments did not begin until around 10 p.m., running past midnight. By approximately 2 a.m., submissions from both sides were completed, and the court eventually issued its order two hours later.
SAD leaders have repeatedly condemned the arrest, calling it an act of political vendetta aimed at intimidating their cadre. They maintain that Kanchanpreet was wrongly targeted and insist the court’s order vindicates their stance.
