Chandigarh, Aug. 14 -- The Punjab and Haryana high court has directed a Mansa court to consider application from chief minister, Bhagwant Mann on exemption from hearing in a defamation case filed by Nazar Singh Manshahia, a former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA. The CM had approached the court challenging the August 2 order wherein the court had said that if Mann did not appear before the court on the next date of hearing, the bail will be cancelled. The bench of justice Tribhuvan Dahiya, while issuing notice to state and the complainant, has posted the matter for hearing on August 18. ".. the trial court is directed to consider the petitioner's application, if any, moved before it for exemption on merits dehors the stipulation in the order ......dated August 2, 2025, that on his non-appearance the bail will be cancelled," justice Dahiya said. The case was filed in 2019 alleging Mann made a defamatory statement against Manshahia in a press conference reportedly made in the backdrop of Manshahia joining the Congress in April 2019. Mann allegedly said that Manshahia joined the Congress for Rs.10 crore and on the assurance of chairmanship of the Pollution Control Board. In 2022, Mann got bail in the case....