Chandigarh, Feb. 2 -- Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President and former Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal moved an application in the Chandigarh District Court on Monday, seeking exemption from personal appearance in an ongoing eight-year-old defamation case. The plea, submitted by his legal counsel, cited a crucial high-level party meeting in Amritsar as the reason for his inability to attend the court proceedings.
The application stated that the SAD had convened a significant gathering on February 2 in Amritsar, which saw a large turnout of supporters and leaders from various villages, towns, and states. Badal's legal team argued that his presence was indispensable at the meeting to address the attendees, many of whom had tra...