Vaccine scam: Sukhbir among 350 opposition leaders booked for holding protest

Tribune News Service
Mohali, June 7

Several leaders from the opposition, among them Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal, were booked under several sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Disaster Management Act for having gathered to hold a protest in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic, police said.  

Among those booked for holding protests over allegations of a scam in the state’s vaccine distribution were several MLAs, such as SAD leaders Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, NK Sharma, Sukhwinder Singh Sukhi, AAP leaders Amarjeet Singh Sandhoa, Jai Krishan Ruddy, Deputy Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Legislative Assembly Saravjit Kaur Manuke and SAD leader Prem Singh Chandumajra.

 In all, some 200 leaders from SAD and 150 from AAP were booked, police said.

Both parties were holding protests against Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu outside his residence in Mohali’s Phase 7 in violation of orders from the district magistrate, the police said.

They have been booked for disobeying a public servant (Section 188) and doing an act that is likely to spread infection (sections 269 and 270) of the Indian Penal Code as well as obstruction (section 51-A) of the Disaster Management Act.