Former Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, who is in judicial custody along with his son Sukbhir, today moved the Supreme Court seeking transfer of the disproportionate assets case against him outside the state. The Badals submitted that the case had been foisted on them by Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh as part of a political vendetta. The petitioners also sought a stay on the December 1 order of the trial court that remanded them to judicial custody after turning down their bail application. Appearing for the petitioners, senior counsel Harish Salve sought an early hearing of the petition. The bench posted the matter for hearing on December 8. In a Ropar court, Special Judge S.K.Goyal adjourned the hearing on the Badals’ bail applications to December 9 . However, the special judge adjourned the hearing on the bail applications to December 9, awaiting the orders of the apex court observing that it is not justifiable and appropriate to hear the bail application today as the matter is pending before the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Sushma Swaraj would visit the Badals in the jail tomorrow. The purpose of her visit is to check on the conditions and the treatment being meted out to the Badals in the Patiala jail. The visit follows the meeting of Sukhbir’s wife Harsimrat with Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat yesterday. She met the Vice-President today also, and Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani. The latter deputed the Parliamentary Affairs Minister to check on the facilities being provided to the Badals in jail. Harsimrat told The Indian Express that Sushma had confirmed her visit . Yesterday, the Vice-President had assured Harsimrat of sending a two-member Rajya Sabha team to check whether the Badals were being denied their rights while in judicial custody. She had alleged that the Badals were denied adequate facilities and home-cooked food and that personal bedding was not allowed to them. Sukhbir was lodged with criminals and not with his father.
