Sukhbir surrenders, gets bail in defamation case

Chandigarh, December 9

Former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal surrendered before Chandigarh district court in a criminal defamation case today. It was filed by Akhand Kirtani Jathachief Rajinder Pal Singh in 2017. Sukhbir was later granted bail.

Several bailable warrants had been issued against him earlier, but he had failed to appear before the court. During the resumed hearing of the case, Badal’s advocate Munish Dewan informed the court that the high court had stayed the warrants against him and he had sought 10 days time to appear before the court. However, the complainant’s counsel Amandeep Singh had moved the application and the court had already issued the non-bailable warrants against him.

The complainant had filed the case in January 2017 over Sukhbir’s alleged controversial statement in which he described the group as a terrorist organisation. Sukhbir had allegedly issued the statement after the complainant met with Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal three years ago at his house. The summons were issued after the Chandigarh Police submitted an inquiry report in the court on November 28, 2019. — TNS