Sidhu won't quit over road rage case: Captain Amarinder Singh

Chandigarh: Scotching speculation that the local government minister would be resigning from the state Cabinet in view of the Supreme Court case against him, Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh, on Sunday, said there was no question of asking the minister to quit.

The chief minister pointed out that the Supreme Court had stayed Navjot Singh Sidhu’s conviction in the road rage case in 2007 and was yet to pronounce its verdict on his petition challenging the high court order. The question of the minister resigning, merely because the state government had repeated its stand of 30 years in the case before the Supreme Court, did not arise, he added.

“There was neither any impediment in Sidhu’s induction into the Cabinet nor in his continuation now in view of the stay on his conviction,” he said.

The clarification from the chief minister came amid reports suggesting that Mr Sidhu had been asked to resign.

While reiterating that his government could not have changed its stand in the apex court in the case against Mr Sidhu, the CM once again expressed hope that the judge would take cognisance of Mr Sidhu’s contribution to the society and the country in deciding the case.