Hoshiarpur court directs Sukhbir to ‘surrender’ for bail

DIRECTION COMES DAYS AFTER HIGH COURT DISMISSED A PLEA OF SAD CHIEF, HIS FATHER PARKASH SINGH BADAL AND PARTY LEADER DALJIT CHEEMA IN A CASE FILED IN 2019

HOSHIARPUR : The Hoshiarpur district and sessions court has directed Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal to “surrender” in the trial court on or before September 13 to get interim bail in a case of alleged forgery of the party constitution.

The direction comes days after the Punjab and Haryana High Court dismissed a plea of Sukhbir, his father and former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and party’s senior vice president Daljit Singh Cheema in the case filed against them in 2019 under Sections 420, 465, 466, 467, 468, 471 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code.

Seeking quashing of the case, Sukhbir had moved an application for interim bail. He had submitted that since no custodial interrogation was required, he be granted anticipatory bail. He also referred to the bail granted to co-accused Cheema in 2019.

Additional sessions judge Jatinder Pal Singh Khurmi, however, directed him to surrender in the trial court on or before September 13 and stated that if he did so, he would be released on interim bail, subject to his furnishing a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh with one surety of similar amount.

The SAD leaders had approached the high court in 2019 seeking a stay on trial after Hoshiarpur additional chief judicial magistrate had issued them summons in the case. The high court had stayed the trial. On Friday, the court maintained that there was sufficient material on record with the Hoshiarpur court to summon the Badals and dismissed their 2019 petition.

Social activist Balwant Singh Khera had filed the complaint that the SAD possessed two constitutions – one that it had submitted with the Gurdwara Election Commission and the other with the Election Commission of India (ECI) to seek recognition as a political outfit. He has alleged that the SAD had given a false undertaking to the ECI that it had amended its constitution to incorporate the principles of socialism and secularism whereas it continued its activities as a ‘panthic’ party and openly participated in the gurdwara elections.