BATHINDA: Over three years after his last appearance, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann again failed to appear in the court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Mansa on Tuesday in a criminal defamation case filed by former MLA Nazar Singh Manshahia. The act annoyed the court, which directed the counsel to ensure the accused appears on the next hearing date in May or face cancellation of bail.
Exemption Granted Amid Tension
An application was filed on behalf of the chief minister seeking exemption from personal appearance. The court granted the exemption for the day and adjourned the matter to May 1. Interestingly, the state government has convened a special session of the state assembly on the same day.
History of Absence
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann last appeared in court on October 20, 2022, and obtained bail in the case after furnishing bail bonds. The case was originally filed in 2019 when Mann was an MP. The orders pertaining to the day's proceedings were uploaded on Wednesday morning.
During the hearing, the court of ACJM Rajinder Singh Nagpal observed that a perusal of the file showed that since October 20, 2022, the accused had not appeared even once for proceedings, due to which further proceedings could not be conducted. On the last hearing date, the accused was directed to appear before the court, but again an exemption application was filed on vague grounds similar to earlier ones, clearly showing his conduct and attitude toward court proceedings. The counsel for the accused was directed to procure the presence of Bhagwant Mann on the next date of hearing; failing which, his bail order shall be cancelled and coercive methods will be adopted to ensure his presence.
Background of the Case
Former MLA Nazar Singh Manshahia, originally from the Aam Aadmi Party, joined the Congress on April 25, 2019. Manshahia stated that two days after his joining, then Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann (now CM) held a press conference in Sangrur and accused Manshahia of joining the Congress in exchange for Rs 10 crore and the assurance of the Chairmanship of the Punjab Pollution Control Board. Manshahia demanded an apology or proof of the allegations. Receiving no response, he filed a criminal defamation suit against Bhagwant Mann and others under Sections 500 (defamation), 34 (act done by several persons in furtherance of common intention), and 66E and 67 of the Information Technology Act in Mansa court on July 30, 2019.
