Chandigarh, March 26 — The Punjab and Haryana High Court has sought a response from Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal in a defamation case filed by Emaan Singh Mann, son of Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) leader Simranjit Singh Mann.
The case challenges a Chandigarh court’s July 24, 2024, order that dismissed Emaan Singh’s defamation complaint. The petitioner claims that during a press conference on July 29, 2022, Mann and Dhaliwal accused him of usurping 125 acres of land in Mohali’s Majri tehsil.
Emaan Singh argued that court proceedings later confirmed he owns only 5 bighas and 14 biswa in the area. He alleged the press conference was intended to tarnish his and his father’s reputation and sought the revival of defamation proceedings.
However, the trial court had dismissed the complaint, ruling that the press conference was held in “good faith” to inform the public about land freed from encroachers. The court stated there was no evidence of intentional defamation.
“They acted as public servants and made public aware about an official act done by the government, which cannot be said to be commission of any offence,” the trial court noted while rejecting the plea to summon the CM and the minister under IPC sections 499 and 500.
