Assets case: HC acquits Thandal

Providing relief to former chief parliamentary secretary of Punjab,Sohan Singh Thandal,the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday acquitted him in a disproportionate assets case. The court also set aside the three-year imprisonment awarded to him by a lower court.

Arguing on Thandal’s behalf,Bipin Ghai contended that the lower court had erred in evaluating Thandal’s income. He submitted that Thandal does not possess any disproportionate assets. On January 29,2003,Thandal was booked by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau for accumulating disproportionate wealth,benami properties and other charges of corruption.