‘Badal’s should not be exempted from appearing in court’

While replying to an application — seeking exemption from court appearances in a recovery suit — moved by Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his son and deputy, Sukhbir Singh Badal, complainant Jagdip Singh Chowhan, a former Additional Director of Information and Public Relations Department, Punjab,on Thursday urged the Punjab and Haryana High Court that they father-son duo should not be given any such exemptions. The court has adjourned the case to February 8 for consideration on the reply and the application.

The complainant in the reply had mentioned that the CM and the Deputy CM neither fall in the code which exempts them to attend the court nor are they suffering form any illness which is preventing them from appearing. Also, the father-son duo are not infirm to attend the court, says the reply.

"They do not want to appear in the court in Chandigarh because on previous instances, the two had lied in the court", the complainant said.

He also mentioned in the reply filed by him that despite the fact that the CM and his deputy receiving the court summons timely, they never appeared in the court. "Parkash Singh Badal had stated in his letter that deliberately a wrong address has been given on the memo of parties. But, I have never mentioned the wrong address", said Chowhan.

The CM and the Deputy CM sought exemption from appearing in the court in the recovery case in the local court stating that if they personally appear in the court with personal security, it may cause "inconvenience" to public and "normal working" of the court may be "disturbed" in an application dated December 18.

The case

The complainant — Jagdip Singh Chowhan, former Additional Director of Information and Public Relations Department — had alleged that in 1998, Chief Minister Parkash Singh had directed him to work in the election campaign of his son, Sukhbir Singh Badal, who was the candidate from Faridkot constituency in elections held in February 1998. Chowhan alleged that he had spent Rs 1,50,458 from his own pocket for media coverage with the hope that his money would be returned.

... contd.

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