Sukhbir Badal Appears in Chandigarh Court for Defamation Case
Former Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal appeared before the Chandigarh district court on Saturday. He faced a nine-year-old defamation case. The court had issued a non-bailable warrant against him last month. It also cancelled his bail because he repeatedly failed to appear for hearings.
Court Grants Bail After Hearing
Badal appeared in court and sought bail. The court granted him bail after considering his petition. His lawyer, Rajesh Kumar, explained the reasons for his previous absences.
Badal's lawyer stated they filed a petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court against the defamation case. This petition was dismissed on October 17, 2025. According to Kumar, Badal did not receive information about this dismissal.
The lawyer claimed Badal's personal assistant, Charanjit Singh Barad, handled all court-related information. Barad quit his job recently. Due to this change, Badal allegedly did not know about court cases and hearing dates.
Background of the Defamation Case
The case dates back to January 4, 2017. Rajinder Pal Singh, spokesperson of religious organisation Akhand Kirtani Jatha, filed the defamation complaint against Badal.
The incident occurred after former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal visited Rajinder Pal Singh's house. Following this meeting, Sukhbir Badal made a public statement.
In his statement, Badal allegedly called the jatha the political face of a terrorist organisation. Rajinder Pal Singh claimed this statement damaged his organisation's reputation and image.
He filed the defamation case in the Chandigarh district court seeking legal recourse. The case has been proceeding through the judicial system for nearly a decade now.
Current Legal Status
With Saturday's appearance, Badal has complied with the court's requirements. The non-bailable warrant issued last month has been addressed through his court appearance.
His bail has been reinstated by the court. The defamation case will continue with future hearings scheduled as per normal judicial procedures.
The legal proceedings highlight how political statements can lead to prolonged court cases. They also demonstrate the importance of maintaining communication with legal representatives about court dates and developments.
