Supreme Court stays proceedings against SAD leaders in alleged forgery case
Chandigarh, November 1: Hoshiarpur resident Balwant Singh Khera had filed a criminal complaint before the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate back in 2009 accusing SAD of submitting two different constitutions i.e. one with the Gurdwara Election Commission (GEC) and the second with the Election Commission of India (ECI) to seek recognition as a political party. The criminal complaint is premised on the allegation that the party has claimed to be a secular party and given a declaration to abide by the principles of secularism in its constitution filed before ECI while it contests elections for a religious body, Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee, thereby being a religious party.
The lawyers for Badal argued before the court that being religious does not run contrary to the principles of secularism and merely because a political outfit is contesting elections to a Gurdwara committee does not mean it is not secular. The criminal case with allegations of forgery and cheating over the constitution of the party filed before ECI and GEC therefore has no basis.
Today, a Bench comprising of Justice S. Abdul Nazeer and Hon’ble Mr Justice V. Ramasubramanian while hearing petitions challenging the dismissal of quashing petitions against the criminal case, issued notice and stayed the proceedings in the criminal complaint before the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Hoshiarpur.
R.S. Cheema, Senior advocate appeared for Sukhbir Singh Badal. Mr K.V. Vishwanathan, Senior Advocate appeared for Prakash Singh Badal. Mr Sandeep Kapur, Advocate appeared for Daljit Singh Cheema. Ms. Indira Unninayar, Ld.Advocate appeared for the complainant.
The petitions were filed by *Karanjawala & Co.
Indira Unninayar, Advocate appearing for Balwant Singh Khera, the complainant, requested the Court to allow her to make brief submissions. However, the Hon’ble Court indicated that she can file her reply and will be heard at a later date.
The Hon’ble Court while issuing Notice to the Respondents, has stayed the proceedings pending before Punjab’s Hoshiarpur Court in the alleged case of forgery and cheating filed against Sukhbir Singh Badal, Prakash Singh Badal and Daljit Singh Cheema in the controversy over dual constitution of Shiromani Akali Dal.
- PTC NEWS
