Court reserves order on Sidhu’s plea on summons

Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, September 17

The court of Sessions Judge Munish Singal today reserved orders on a plea moved by former Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu challenging a lower court order to summon him as a witness in a case filed by former DSP Balwinder Singh Sekhon against former Food and Civil Supplies Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu for September 19.

Sidhu, lodged at the Patiala jail, has sought his name to be dropped as a witness or he be examined through video-conferencing. During arguments, the complainant’s lawyers opposed the contentions of Sidhu with the plea that a witness has no right to dictate terms to the court. Once a court summons a witness, he is duty bound to attend the case.

Recently, the court of CJM Sumit Makkar had summoned Sidhu as a witness. Thereafter, citing security reasons, he had moved an application before the court to drop his name from the list of witnesses. However, the CJM dismissed his application with the observation that the presence of Sidhu as a witness was necessary.