‘I won’t reply’: Former judge defies notice by Punjab CM Mann’s wife over extortion claims

Retired Punjab and Haryana High Court judge Justice Ranjit Singh declared on Monday that he would not respond to the legal notice issued by Dr Gurpreet Kaur, wife of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, over allegations of extortion. "I have not received it yet. Even if I get it, I won't reply. I am not scared. They can go to the court.

We will fight it out in the court," Singh told reporters in Chandigarh. The judge, who heads the Punjab Human Rights Organisation (PHRO), claimed that he and PHRO had raised questions that would be answered in court, as the case involving a rape victim had not received public attention. Singh said PHRO had not leveled any allegations against Dr Kaur, merely bringing the issue to public awareness.

The notice, dated August 22, was issued through Dr Kaur's counsel, Anisha, demanding an unconditional public apology. The notice stated that the allegations were "false, malicious and defamatory" and threatened 24-hour compliance deadlines, potentially leading to civil, criminal, and other legal proceedings if not met. Dr Kaur's counsel alleged that the statements attributed to Justice Ranjit Singh were defamatory and could cause irreparable reputational harm due to her public standing as the Chief Minister's wife.

Singh maintained that the allegations were politically motivated, pointing out his familial connection to the Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira. The controversy arose after the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) took notice of a complaint concerning political interference in an Amritsar rape case and directed the Punjab authorities to investigate the matter thoroughly.