Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia and Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira have approached the district court seeking to vacate a temporary order restraining them in a defamation case filed by Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann’s wife Gurpreet Kaur, over allegations of a ₹5 crore demand to help a rape accused.
The two leaders have filed separate applications seeking vacation of the ex parte interim injunction passed against them on September 8. An ex-parte injunction is a temporary court order passed without first hearing the other side.
Meanwhile, former high court judge justice Ranjit Singh has sought ₹50,000 compensation for expenses, injury and alleged damage to his reputation caused by the temporary order.
Civil Judge (Junior Division) Prikshit issued notice to the plaintiff to file replies to all three applications. The matter will come up for hearing on October 23.
The rape accused in question is social media influencer Gurvinder Singh, alias Guri Chahal, who has been booked in two separate cases in Mohali and Amritsar. He is learnt to have left the country. In both the FIRs, police have filed cancellation reports, prompting victims to level allegations of bias. The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has refuted these allegations, terming them as “motivated” attempts to tarnish the state government’s image. One, Simranjeet Hundal, who was accused of mediating between Kaur and the rape accused, has publicly denied the allegations.
In his application, Bholath legislator Khaira has alleged that he was not provided copies of the plaint, the application seeking the injunction, affidavit, documents, videos and other electronic material relied upon by the plaintiff while obtaining the September 8 order.
{{/usCountry}}In his application, Bholath legislator Khaira has alleged that he was not provided copies of the plaint, the application seeking the injunction, affidavit, documents, videos and other electronic material relied upon by the plaintiff while obtaining the September 8 order.
{{/usCountry}}Khaira has also relied on the court’s September 25 order, through which the temporary injunction against the former high court judge was lifted.
Majithia, in his application, has questioned the circumstances in which the order was obtained and the material placed before the court.