Corruption case against me has been fabricated, Badal tells SC

New Delhi, Sep 6 (UNI) Former Punjab Chief Minister and senior Akali Dal leader Prakash Singh Badal today told the Supreme Court that corruption case against him was ''politically motivated'' and had been registered at the instance of present Chief Minister Amarinder Singh.

Counsel for Mr Badal told the division Bench comprising Justices Arijit Pasayat and S H Kapadia that the corruption case has been slapped against leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly at the behest of the state Chief Minister, who earlier belonged to Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) and left the party in 1997 holding Mr Badal personally responsible for denial of party ticket to him in the Assembly election and later joined the Congress, was now settling scores with the petitioner.

Mr Badal is challenging his prosecution under the Prevention of Corruption Act on the grounds that proper sanction for his prosecution had not been obtained by the prosecution.

The Opposition leader is facing allegations of ammasing huge assets running into several hundred crores through corrupt means by misusing his official position during his tenure as state Chief Minister.

Mr Badal also pleaded before the court that some of his erstwhile Cabinet colleagues, including Nirmal Singh Kahlon, Tota Singh and Ratan Singh Ajnala, are also being harrassed by the present Congress government in the state.

Other political leaders who have also challenged their prosecution in corruption cases in the Apex Court include Union Railway Minister Lalu Prasad, his wife and former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi, Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, former Kerala Chief Minister K Karunakaran and Akali Dal MP Ratan Singh Ajnala.

The Apex Court has, however, decided to hear the corruption case against former Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary Neera Yadav separately along with the case of NOIDA Entrepreneur Association.

The Uttar Pradesh Revenue Board Chairperson is facing allegations of bungling in land allotment during her tenure as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NOIDA.

The hearing will continue tomorrow.

UNI/AKS/SC KD HT2020