The Supreme Court on January 12 dismissed an appeal filed by the Punjab government challenging a Punjab and Haryana High Court order quashing an FIR registered against Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal in 2021, observing it was a "fake case".
The FIR against Badal was registered under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, and for disobedience to an order by a public servant, causing obstruction, criminal intimidation and unlawful activities over allegations that he obstructed the mining operations of a private company in Beas town of Amritsar district.
A Bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan wondered why the complainant in the case did not approach the apex court and only the State government appealed the high court order quashing the FIR.
