Chahal asked to file affidavit to explain absence from court

Chandigarh, Mar 14 (UNI) A full bench, headed by the Chief Justice Vijender Kumar Jain, of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today ordered B I S Chahal, the former media advisor to the Punjab chief Minister Amarinder Singh to file an affidavit explaining his absence from the hearing slated for the day in connection with the contempt proceedings initiated against him by the court.

The proceedings had been initiated for the interference in the judicial process in the context of selection and appointment of some persons directly as Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSP) in Punjab. The beneficiaries included Mr Chahal's son too.

The bench took strong exception to Mr Chahal's absence from the hearing.

At the start of the hearing, Mr Chahal's counsel submitted that his client could not be present as a close relative in the family had died.

The other judges on the full bench were Justice Rajiv Bhalla and Justice Surya Kant. The matter would now come up on March 21.

UNI