COMMENCING formal proceedings in the complaint filed by Justice (retired) Ranjit Singh against former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal and senior Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia, the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday issued notice to the two accused for March 25. Advertising According to Ranjit Singh’s counsel, Badal and Majithia will have to remain personally present in the court on the next date of hearing. During the resumed hearing of the criminal complaint filed by Ranjit Singh under the Section 10A of the Commissions of Inquiry Act against Badal and Majithia, the court issued notice to them as soon as the case came up for hearing on Wednesday afternoon. However, the request for ordering preservation of the evidence was not immediately accepted. Justice Amit Rawal said the prayer will be considered on the next date of hearing after hearing the other side. Though a court order was not immediately available, Senior Advocate Amarpreet Singh Deol — who represents Ranjit Singh in the case, said, “They will have to appear in person before the court as the case under Section 10A is a criminal complaint and is tried like a warrants case. They have been called for pre-charge evidence,” Deol said. The court had previously looked into the CDs presented as evidence by Ranjit Singh and then agreed to hear the case. It was the third hearing of the case on Wednesday. Justice (retd) Ranjit Singh had earlier this month approached the High Court under Section 10A (acts calculated to bring Commission or any member into disrepute) of the Commissions of Inquiry Act alleging that Badal and Majithia made defamatory statements against him in connection with the report of the Commission set up by the Captain Amarinder Singh-led Congress government to investigate various incidents of desecration in Punjab. On August 23 last year, Badal held a press conference in Amritsar insinuating that Ranjit Singh had no legal qualification and he also alleged that he had fabricated the documents including witness statements in preparation of the Commission’s report. On August 27, Akali Dal leaders, including Majithia, mocked the report in a demonstration held outside the Assembly and staged the report’s mock sale while shouting it was available at Rs five in the market. The two incidents have been cited as evidence in the complaint. Advertising According to Section 10A (2) of the Act, “When an offence…is alleged to have been committed, the High Court may take cognizance of such offence, without the case being committed to it, upon a complaint in writing, made by a member of a Commission or an officer of the Commission authorised by it in this behalf”.

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