Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Friday escalated his legal offensive against Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, serving a hard-hitting defamation notice in response to alleged slanderous remarks targeting his private business ventures.
Sukhbir underscored his demand for a formal apology from Mann within seven days, warning of impending criminal defamation proceedings in case the Chief Minister fail to comply.
The notice, served by Sukhbir’s legal team and backed by senior advocate Himanshu Raj, challenged Mann's purported accusations of rule-bending to facilitate the construction of a private resort — Oberoi Sukhvillas — and the grant of Rs 108 crore in tax exemptions during the erstwhile SAD-BJP government's tenure. Sukhbir vehemently denied these claims, asserting that Mann's statements were false and malicious.
Sukhbir emphasized his unwavering stance against the propagation of baseless allegations, stating, “Now the Chief Minister will be held accountable for every utterance made by him. He will have to substantiate each and every allegation made by him or be ready to go behind bars.”
The legal notice, he said, meticulously dismantled Mann's accusations, debunking claims of rule manipulation and tax favoritism. It highlighted the Central Government's authority over granting Change of Land Use (CLU) for land under the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA), absolving the Punjab Government of any involvement in the process. Furthermore, it provides detailed documentation of compliance with regulatory requirements and disputes Mann’s assertion regarding the scrapping of eco-tourism policies post-resort completion.
Moreover, the notice elucidated the evolution of eco-tourism incentives under successive governments, including the AAP-led administration's enhancements in 2022. It refuted allegations of misappropriated state funds for infrastructure development, citing explicit financial transactions between the resort and relevant authorities.
Dismissing Mann’s claim of exorbitant tax exemptions amounting to Rs 108 crore, the notice exposed the factual discrepancies, revealing the actual incentives received by the resort under eco-tourism policies. Sukhbir’s legal team meticulously delineated the nuances of tax exemptions and financial benefits accrued by the resort, dispelling Mann's inflated figures.
Against Mann's allegations that Sukhvillas received Rs 108 crore exemptions in SGST, electricity duty, luxury tax, and annual license fees, the notice revealed that the resort actually received incentives amounting to Rs 4.29 crore under the eco-tourism policy. It further clarified that the electricity duty exemptions totaled Rs 2.19 crore, with an additional exemption of Rs 73.90 lakh pertaining to luxury tax and license fees.
