The incident took place this afternoon in a case pertaining to an ongoing dispute between Chandigarh Distillery at Banur and the Truck Union. The distillery had moved the court seeking directions to restrain the truck union from harassing them and to stop it from interfering in the transportation activities of the distillery. It was alleged that the truck union was not allowing the distillery to run its own trucks and was manhandling the employees of the distillery. Notices were issued to the truck union restraining it from interfering in the work of the distillery.

The union, however, had held a press conference in which Amrik Singh allegedly said, “Mar jaaenge ya maar denge (we will either die or kill them)”. A translated version of the statement was produced in the court on the last hearing when Amrik had denied making the statement. Show-cause notices were issued to the general managers of the three newspapers and their correspondents, who were present in the court today.

The correspondents placed on record the statements issued by the union. One of the correspondents placed on record his mobile phone claiming that he had a recording that will falsify Amrik Singh’s claim. On listening to the recording, the court initially opined that the person did not seem to abuse the court. However, the amicus curiae in the case, S D Sharma contended that the person had indeed used derogatory language.

In the recording, Amrik Singh was heard suggesting that the correspondent tell the court that there was a gathering of 200 persons and and he did not know who had made the statement. “You just take this stand, we will pay the entire fees of your litigation and your advocate,” Amrik Singh was heard saying.