Forgery Case: SC Quashes Summons Against Late Parkash Singh Badal, SAD's Sukhbir

A bench of Justices MR Shah and CT Ravikumar set aside a Punjab and Haryana High Court order.

The Supreme Court quashed criminal proceedings against Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) patron Parkash Singh Badal, on Friday, 28 April, three days after his demise. The proceedings pertained to an alleged forgery case.

Image: The Quint

The Supreme Court quashed criminal proceedings against Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) patron Parkash Singh Badal, on Friday, 28 April, three days after his demise. The proceedings pertained to an alleged cheating and forgery case.

Prakash Singh Badal breathed his last on Tuesday, 25 April, at a hospital in Mohali. He was 95 years old.

MORE DETAILS

As per Livelaw, the apex court quashed the criminal proceedings pending against Prakash Singh Badal, his son Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, and party senior vice-president Daljit Singh Cheema.

Setting aside a Punjab and Haryana High Court order, a bench of Justices MR Shah and CT Ravikumar, according to Bar and Bench, said:

"The High Court ought to have quashed proceedings that would have been an abuse of process. We quash and set the impugned order including trial court summons. Present appeals are allowed. We have not expressed anything on Constitution of party (SAD), and should not influence pending proceedings in Delhi before ECI."

WHAT WERE THE ALLEGATIONS?

The issue reportedly pertained to whether an offence of forgery had been made out, since the party allegedly had two versions of its constitution. 

According to Bar and Bench, the complainant had alleged that SAD claimed to be secular before ECI, while also contesting polls for a religious body. 

(With inputs from Livelaw and Bar and Bench.)