Chandigarh, Oct 10: A local court will pronounce today its orders on an application of Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh seeking personal exemption in the defamation case filed by his predecessor and Shiromani Akali Dal president Parkash Singh Badal. Amarinder, who had been issued summons for today by Chief Judicial Magistrate C L Mohal, sought permanent exemption, except on dates when his presence was specifically wanted, due to security and other reasons.

After hearing arguments of both sides, the court adjourned the matter for today.

Alleging that Amarinder had been spreading false information about his assets for the past one year, Badal had filed the case on August 12 last year.

The counsel of Badal, who was present in the court, sought issuance of non-bailable warrant against Amarinder saying that the Chief Minister had failed to appear today and earlier on Septemer 20 despite summons from the court.
"He wants a blanket exemption even though he is an accused," the counsel told the CJM.

Amarinder's counsel cited a number of cases demanding exemption saying the accused had no objection to the trial being conducted and more over he is not going to abscond being a highly placed public functionary. In fact, exemption should be granted to both as they are public figures, he added. Badal's counsel also opposed the security reasons cited by Singh's counsel saying the Chief Minister should have come today and then moved an application for exemption.

Bureau Report