Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh) :- Sukhbir Singh Badal, president of the Shiromani Akali Dal and former Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab, is scheduled to appear before a district court in Chandigarh today in connection with an eight-year-old defamation case.
The matter dates back to 2017, when a complaint was filed under Section 499 of the Indian Penal Code by Rajinder Pal Singh, spokesperson of the Akhand Kirtani Jatha and a resident of Mohali. The complainant alleged that certain remarks made by Badal to the media had harmed the reputation of the organisation.
According to the complaint, the controversy arose after Arvind Kejriwal visited the residence of Rajinder Pal Singh on January 4, 2017. It is alleged that Badal subsequently described the Akhand Kirtani Jatha as a political front of the banned outfit Babbar Khalsa International, a statement the complainant claims damaged the organisation’s image and standing.
The court had earlier adjourned the hearing to today’s date and directed Badal to remain present. The proceedings are being closely watched in political and legal circles, given the long pendency of the case.
