A court in Mansa district has warned Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann that his bail could be cancelled if he fails to appear in person in a defamation case.
The case was filed by Najar Singh Manshahia and came up for hearing before the Additional District Court in Mansa. Mann sought exemption from personal appearance, citing participation in an important meeting in Chandigarh.
However, the judge, Rajinder Singh Nagpal, observed that since the case was filed in 2022, Mann has not appeared in person even once, leading to delays in the proceedings.
The court also recalled that an earlier request to allow appearance through video conference had been rejected. The judge said the renewed plea for exemption reflected his approach towards the court process.
The court directed Mann to be present in person at the next hearing, warning that failure to do so could lead to cancellation of bail and further action for non-appearance.
