Sukhbir meets Tota’s son in jail

The Patiala Central Jail had a surprise visitor today morning. Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal came calling on the son of former Akali minister Tota Singh in the jail.

The Patiala Central Jail had a surprise visitor today morning. Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal came calling on the son of former Akali minister Tota Singh in the jail.

Even the local Akali leaders were unaware of the visit and only the Patiala DC and SSP accompanied him.

Sukhbir’s visit comes as a major relief to Barjinder Singh, who was yesterday sent to the Central Jail on a 14-day judicial remand by a special CBI court.

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The SAD chief arrived at the jail at 9:30 am and met Barjinder for about 20 minutes in the Jail Superintendent’s room.

Barjinder, who is a Youth Akali Dal leader, is seen is a future prospect by the party and the Akalis had put up a major show of strength outside the local courts yesterday when Baljinder was brought to the court by the CBI. Party supporters even tried to stop camerapersons from taking his photos.

However, despite the Punjab and Haryana High Court granting him regular bail today, he would have to spend another day in the jail.

Sources said his release would be sought on Wednesday. The requisite bail bonds could not be submitted today by his counsels due to paucity of time as the court delivered the verdict late in the day.