SAD chief Sukhbir Badal gets bail in forgery case

Hoshiarpur, September 8

A court here on Wednesday granted interim bail to Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal in a forgery case, involving allegations that his party submitted a false undertaking to seek recognition from the Election Commission of India.

Badal, who appeared before the court here Hoshiarur, got bail on a personal bond and surety of Rs 1 lakh each.

Social activist Balwant Singh Khera had filed a complaint against Badal and others in 2009 alleging that the SAD has two constitutions, one that it submitted to the Gurdwara Election Commission and the other to the Elections Commission of India (ECI) to seek recognition as a political party. 

He had alleged that the SAD had given a false undertaking to the ECI that it had amended its constitution to incorporate principles of socialism and secularism, whereas it continued its activities as a ‘Panthic’ party and participated in Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) elections.

The court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Rupinder Kaur fixed September 28 as the next date of hearing in the case. 

Badal’s counsel appealed for exempting him from personal appearance on the next date but the court asked him to move an application in this regard on the same day.

On September 2, the court of Additional Sessions Judge Jatinder Pal Singh Khurmi had directed Badal to surrender in the trial court here on or before September 13 to get interim bail, subject to his furnishing a personal bond and surety.

Badal had moved an application for interim bail, saying no custodial interrogation of him was required and a co-accused in the case, Daljit Singh Cheema, is already on bail.

Police had booked Badal under Sections 420, 465, 466, 467, 468, and 471 of the Indian Penal Code. — PTI