Journalist Kanwar Sandhu gets interim bail in defamation case

LUDHIANA, Punjab—Dialogue Incharge of the Aam Aadmi Party (Punjab) and veteran Journalist Kanwar Sandhu was granted interim bail in the defamation case on July 18 by Additional Session Judge Jaspinder Singh. Arrest warrants against Kanwar Sandhu were issued by a local court of Ludhiana on July 16 in relation to a defamation case lodged against him by Fastway Cable Network

Appearing before the Additional Session Judge, Defence lawyer Harpreet Singh Sandhu told the Court that he mistook the date as July 18 instead of July 16. Accepting the arguments of the defence lawyer, Justice Jaspinder Singh granted interim bail to Journalist Kanwar Sandhu and directed him to appear before the trial court within 7 days along with fresh surety bonds. Meanwhile, stay has been put on the trial court’s order of issuing arrest warrants against Journalist Kanwar Sandhu.

In 2013, Fastway cable network had filed a defamation lawsuit against Kanwal Sandhu for referring to the cable company owners as “Cable Mafia”.  Sandhu was given bail in the case, however, since he remained absent from attending regular court proceedings, a non-bailable warrant has been issued against him.  The case was filed by Rajdeep Benipal, a senior manager at Fastway, in 2013.

Kanwar Sandhu was operating Day and Night News back in 2013 on Fastway cable network when he held the owners as “Cable Mafia”.  While Day and Night News is not in operation anymore, Kanwal Sandhu is currently a member of the Aam Aadmi Party.

Kanwar Sandhu blamed his political rivals responsible for his arrest warrant.  In a post on Facebook earlier today, Sandhu stated, “Some of you must have learnt about non-bailable arrest warrants issued by a Ludhiana Court against me in a defamation case filed by Fastway Transmissions. Just to inform you that I have been granted anticipatory bail in the case today. Feel sorry for my political opponents whose happiness was short-lived!”