Supreme Court Refuses To Quash Defamation Case Against Sukhbir Badal
· India · Times of India, The Hindu, Hindustan Times
The Supreme Court on Friday declined to interfere with criminal defamation proceedings against Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal over remarks linking a religious organisation to a banned outfit. A bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Sheel Nagu dismissed Badal's challenge against the ongoing proceedings in New Delhi. The case stems from remarks made during the 2017 Punjab Assembly elections, where Badal allegedly associated the Akhand Kirtani Jatha with Babbar Khalsa International. Complainant Rajinder Pal Singh, an AKJ member, initiated the complaint alleging the statements damaged his reputation. A Chandigarh magistrate previously took cognisance of the matter and summoned Badal, whose subsequent challenge was rejected by the Punjab and Haryana High Court in October 2025.
Why it matters
The ruling allows the criminal defamation trial against a prominent political leader to proceed through the judicial system in Punjab.
Read the original report — Times of India
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