Salaria files criminal defamation case against Manpreet Badal & Navjot Sidhu
BJP leader Swaran Singh Salaria has filed a criminal defamation case against Punjab local bodies minister Navjot Singh Sidhu and state finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal in Pathankot district court for statements they made during campaigning. Manpreet had claimed that Salaria had concealed facts from the Election Commission of India (ECI) in his nomination papers for the elections, after a Mumbai-based woman accused the BJP leader of rape. Sidhu had used the news of the case against Salaria to target him in election rallies. Salaria had sent legal notices to both the ministers to apologise for their utterances. Manpreet had failed to respond, while Sidhu had sought some clarification. Later, he stopped responding to any communication from the BJP leader. “I appeared in court and filed a criminal defamation case against Navjot Singh Sidhu and Manpreet Singh Badal as they hit me below the belt for a crime I never committed. They tarnished my image for political motives and will now face the music,” Salaria, who had lost the election to Congress’ Sunil Jakhar by 1.9 lakh votes, said. He added that the case had been filed under sections 500 and 501 of the Indian Penal Code. -PTC News
