MLA,who ‘threatened’ to implicate duo in false cases,finally appears in court

The Akali MLA from Gurdaspur,Gurbachan Singh Babbehali,accused of threatening to implicate two people in false cases,appeared in the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Saturday. The Court had issued bailable warrants against him for not appearing before it.

Harmesh Singh,a resident of Ghat Pohhar village,had moved an anticipatory bail application in the High Court stating that he had been falsely implicated in a case of attempt to murder and trespassing. Harmesh had stated that he and his cousin Harjinder Singh,a sarpanch,were supporting Ranjit Singh,an independent candidate for SGPC elections in September 2011. Babehali had allegedly asked them to support him and had threatened to implicate them in a false case if they did not. Harmesh said he had sought blanket bail but it was rejected and added that two cases were registered against him in 2011,at the behest of Babbehali.

He then filed an application seeking permission from the court to implead Babbehali as a party in the case. The Bench had issued notices to Babbehali but the Akali MLA allegedly didn’t receive them.

Story continues below this ad

The court had,on February 18,observed that it appeared that Babbehali was intentionally avoiding receipt of notices,“obvious from the fact that he had not appeared in court even when court server pasted the notice at his house”. Justice N K Sanghi had then issued bailable warrants against the legislator.

Babbehali finally appeared before the court on Saturday and denied the accusations levelled against him. Justice Sanghi,then passed orders stating that since the appearance was effected through the bailable warrants,after the appearance,the warrants will no more remain in force.