New Delhi, May 2
The Supreme Court today did not stay the ongoing proceedings against Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his son Sukhbir Badal at a trial court in Ropar. It also asked the petitioner, former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, to file his rejoinder to the Badal’s affidavit and fixed the next date of hearing as May 14.

The next date of hearing at the trial court in Ropar is tomorrow. Badal’s affidavit was taken up for hearing today and to this the counsel of Amarinder Singh sought time to respond, while asking that the proceedings in the trial court be stayed. The court did not stay the proceedings. Amarinder Singh had filed a plea in court saying the ongoing corruption case against Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his son Sukhbir Badal, be transferred to a court outside Punjab as the outcome of the case could be jeopardised.

The witnesses, mostly government officers, have turned hostile and a free and fair trial was not possible in an intimidating atmosphere in the courts in Punjab, Amarinder had alleged.

Badal in his Affidavit today termed Amarinder’s application as politically motivated and aimed at scuttling the trial, which is at its fag end. Also Badal has said that the former Chief Minister does not offer any explanation as to why he chose to wait for the entire prosecution when the evidence was closed. It closed in March 2008.

Badal has also pointed out that the brother-in-law of Amarinder Singh, Simranjit Singh Mann, had filed a similar petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court alleging that fair trail was not possible. The high court dismissed the petition and the same was never challenged.

In his affidavit, Badal has said Amarinder Singh nursed a grudge against him, when the SAD denied him a ticket. Amarinder Singh subsequently joined the Congress.

The entire petition of Amarinder Singh is built on malicious vendetta and the prosecution launched during the tenure of Amarinder Singh is clearly vitiated by malafides.

On taking over as the Chief Minister, Amarinder Singh embarked on a witchhunt against Badal and his family members, the affidavit says.

Badal and his family members are facing trial under the Prevention of Corruption Act for acquiring assets disproportionate to their known sources of income by misusing their official status.

An FIR was registered against Badal and his family members in 2003, when Amarinder Singh was the Chief Minister. Badal has often claimed that the case was registered on political grounds.