Ludhiana, June 4 -- Just weeks before the crucial Ludhiana West byelection, the court of additional sessions judge Amandeep Kaur has granted interim protection from arrest to three senior members of the Ludhiana District Cricket Association (LDCA). These include honorary secretary Gagandeep Bhalla alias Sunny Bhalla, president Satish Kumar Mangal, and treasurer Manik Bassi. The court has directed that no arrests be made until July 1 in a cheating and embezzlement case filed against them.

Sunny Bhalla, notably the husband of Congress councillor Deepika Bhalla, is closely associated with Congress candidate and former cabinet minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu. He is also playing an active role in Ashu's campaign for the upcoming bypoll on June 1...