Chandigarh October 18, 2025 (Punjab Khabarnama Bureau) : Former Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab and president of the Shiromani Akali Dal, Sukhbir Singh Badal, suffered a major setback on Friday from the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The court dismissed his petition seeking the quashing of a defamation complaint filed against him.
The case dates back to 2017, when Sukhbir Badal, in a statement, accused Delhi’s then Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of meeting terrorists during a visit to Punjab. Badal alleged that Kejriwal had breakfast with members of the Akhand Kirtan Jatha, which is reportedly the political wing of the terrorist organization Babbar Khalsa International. He had said, “If the Aam Aadmi Party comes to power in Punjab, lawlessness will spread across the state.”
Following this statement, Akhand Kirtan Jatha member Rajinder Pal Singh filed a defamation complaint against Badal. In his petition to the High Court, Badal argued that he had not mentioned the complainant’s name in his statement and, at that time, he was Punjab’s Home Minister, so commenting on the state’s law and order fell within his jurisdiction. However, the High Court rejected his argument, stating that the case is prima facie fit for trial, and therefore, at this stage, the complaint cannot be quashed.
Following the court order, Sukhbir Badal will now have to face the trial in a lower court.
Summary :
A petition filed in a defamation case involving Sukhbir Badal has been dismissed, marking a surprising development and relief for the politician amid ongoing legal proceedings.