Chandigarh, January 19
In a major setback to Mr B.I.S Chahal, the Media Adviser to the Chief Minister, Punjab, who is facing contempt proceedings for interfering in administration of justice, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today ordered that the proceedings would now be taken up on day-to-day basis from January 22. Not only this, Mr Chahal will have to be present in the court during each hearing as per the court directions.

Resuming hearing of the plea, the Full Bench comprising Mr Justice S.S Nijjar, Mr Justice Rajive Bhalla and Mr Justice Surya Kant heard the amicus curiae, Mr Anupam Gupta at length.

Mr Gupta submitted that as far as Mr D.S Longia, former Additional Secretary (Sports), was concerned, no case of contempt of court was made out against him. He, however, strongly urged the Bench that Mr Chahal had committed an unpardonable offence and should be made to pay for it.

Mr Chahal, had been ordered to explain his conduct during hearing of the petitions challenging the selection of the kin of some influential persons as DSPs by the Punjab Government in 2004. Mr Chahal’s son was among those whose illegal and arbitrary appointments had been set aside by the court.