Supreme Court Rejects Sukhbir Singh Badal’s Plea to Quash Defamation Case Over AKJ-BKI Remarks

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a petition filed by former Punjab Deputy Chief Minister and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal seeking to quash criminal defamation proceedings against him. The case stems from remarks he allegedly made linking the Akhand Kirtani Jatha (AKJ), a Sikh religious organisation, to the banned terrorist group Babbar Khalsa International (BKI).

A Bench comprising Justices Dipankar Datta and Sheel Nagu rejected the plea in Sukhbir Singh Badal v. Rajinder Pal Singh. The defamation complaint was filed by Rajinder Pal Singh, who is associated with the AKJ, an organisation focused on Gurbani kirtan and Sikh religious practices.

The controversy originated during the 2017 Punjab Assembly election campaign. After then Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal visited Singh’s residence, Badal reportedly told the media that Kejriwal had started engaging with radicals in Punjab. Singh alleged that Badal further described the AKJ as the “political front” of Babbar Khalsa International and referred to him as the organisation’s spokesperson. These statements, Singh claimed, damaged his reputation by associating him and the AKJ with a banned terrorist outfit.

A magistrate in Chandigarh summoned Badal in the criminal defamation case. Badal challenged both the complaint and the summoning order before the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which dismissed his petition in October 2025. He then approached the Supreme Court.

Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Badal, argued that the proceedings should not continue. He maintained that Badal had never described Singh as the AKJ’s spokesperson and questioned the reliance on newspaper reports without examining the journalists who wrote them. “This is reporting. Reporters are saying that I said. Your Lordships should not stretch this and put this in my mouth,” Sibal submitted. He also contended that Singh lacked authorisation to represent the AKJ.

Justice Datta, however, referred to the material on record, including newspaper reports cited in the complaint. One report attributed to Badal the claim that the AKJ was the “political front” of Babbar Khalsa International, while another allegedly referred to Singh as the organisation’s spokesperson. The judge observed that the complaint material itself indicated Badal had recognised Singh in that capacity. “The difficulty is you recognise him and say he is the spokesperson,” Justice Datta remarked.

The Bench dismissed Badal’s plea, allowing the defamation case to proceed.