Cooch Behar, 19th November: Union Minister of State for Minorities John Barla surrendered in Tufanganj Sub-Divisional Sessions Court this morning after an arrest warrant was issued.
It is to be noted, the Tufanganj court issued the arrest warrant against Minister Barla for violation of the model code of conduct during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. It has been alleged that John Barla, the then BJP candidate from the Lok Sabha constituency, and his party’s activist supporters had held a road meeting in the BDO office premises violating the election’s code of conduct. Election Commission officials then lodged a written complaint against him and three others on charges of the same. The remaining three were granted bail. Despite sending summon to John Barla by the court on 15th November, neither he nor his lawyer appeared in the court. Thus, the Tufanganj Sub-Divisional Sessions Court issued an arrest warrant against him.
