Former Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal gets bail in SAD constitution forgery case
Hoshiarpur-based social activist Balwant Singh Khera has alleged that SAD leaders committed forgery by submitting fake documents before the EC to secure recognition as a political party
Former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal has secured bail in the Shiromani Akali Dal constitution forgery case filed against him, his son and party president Sukhbir Singh Badal and spokesperson Daljeet Singh Cheema on the complaint of Hoshiarpur-based social activist Balwant Singh Khera.
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Badal’s counsel had filed the bail application on Wednesday with the additional district and sessions judge, accepting which the court directed him to appear before the trial court before March 2, and submit the bail bond.
Badal, 94, appeared in the court of additional chief judicial magistrate Rupinder Singh on Thursday and furnished a bail bond of ₹1 lakh.
To the utter surprise of the complainant and his counsel Hitesh Puri, Badal was on his way back after completing the legal formalities when they reached the court at 10am. Khera alleged that the veteran leader was given special treatment.
“The courts ordinarily sit at 10am but today, the judicial officer and the staff were present well before time in anticipation of Badal’s arrival,” he said.
The trial court had issued summons to the SAD leaders on November 4, 2019, but Cheema approached the Punjab and Haryana high court seeking quashing of the case. On August 27, 2021, the high court dismissed the petition and directed the SAD leaders to appear before the Hoshiarpur court, exempting, at the same time, Badal Senior from personal appearance on account of his age. Sukhbir and Cheema have already secured bail in the case.
In his complaint, Khera has alleged that the SAD leaders had committed forgery by preparing and producing forged documents before the Election Commission of India to secure recognition as a political party and therefore were liable to be prosecuted under Sections 420, 465, 466, 467, 468, 471 and 120-B of Indian Penal Code.
The matter comes up for hearing in the trial court on Friday.