The Punjab and Haryana High Court granted anticipatory bail to Manjinder Singh over defamation allegations related to his book about Sidhu Moosewala, emphasizing cooperation with the investigation and personal bonds.
Chandigarh: The Punjab and Haryana High Court has granted anticipatory bail to Manjinder Singh, also known as Manjinder Makha, in a case related to defamation and other charges over his book on the late singer Sidhu Moosewala. The ruling was delivered by Justice Sandeep Moudgil.
Singh was booked under sections 451, 406, and 380 of the IPC, along with Section 356(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), following a complaint by Balkaur Singh, Moosewala’s father. The complainant alleged that Singh’s book, “The Real Reason Why Legend Died,” published in September 2024, contained defamatory material about his son and family.
Additionally, social media posts, including videos and podcasts, were cited in the complaint, claiming that they tarnished Moosewala’s image and violated the family’s privacy.
The prosecution accused Singh of stealing personal photographs from the complainant’s residence and using them in the book. It also alleged that the book made unverified claims linking Moosewala to gangsters and criminal activities.
However, Singh’s counsel argued that the book was an academic exercise, based on publicly available information. The defence maintained that the publication was not meant to harm anyone’s reputation and did not contain defamatory or offensive statements.
Justice Sandeep Moudgil, while granting anticipatory bail, observed that there was no compelling reason to deny Singh bail. The court noted that the book appeared to be a personal account rather than an act of intellectual property theft. It also considered Singh’s willingness to cooperate with the investigation.
The court directed Singh to join the investigation within a week and furnish personal and surety bonds. Additionally, conditions were imposed, including:
- Restrictions on leaving the country without permission.
- Avoiding any inducements or threats to witnesses.
The court clarified that failure to comply with these conditions would lead to the automatic cancellation of the bail order.
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