Cong relieved as SC stays Bhattal trial

The Supreme Court’s order staying the trial of Punjab Deputy CM Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, in misappropriation of public funds, today came as a relief for her as well as the Congress. The order comes on the eve of the last phase of the Lok Sabha elections.

Taking cognisance of the Special Leave Petition (SLP) filed by Bhattal against a Punjab and Haryana High Court order rejecting the plea that a prior sanction was needed to prosecute Bhattal — a former CM — the apex court issued a notice to the Punjab government. A bench of Justice Y.K. Sabharwal and Justice S.B. Sinha passed the order that all proceedings against Bhattal be stalled till further orders.

Bhattal allegedly misappropriated about Rs 20 lakh out of her relief fund when she was the CM in 1996. A trial court had framed charges against her. Bhattal’s lawyers quoted precedents and the rule book to emphasise why it was improper to prosecute her without taking permission from the Governor.