Two separate press conferences were organised on Saturday; one at Ludhiana where the alleged victim, her father, and Harish Khanna, senior vice-president of Punjab JD unit presented their case.

The other press conference was held at Chandigarh where Badal sought to defend his son, the accused in the rape incident.

The JD(S) stated that party would approach Prime Minister and National Commission for Women to draw their attention to the victim's plight.

Talking to media persons, the victim's father reiterated the statement that he had submitted in the Punjab and Haryana Court stating that the accused person's l family had confined them illegally at their official residence at Chandigarh.

The family was then forced to signdocuments after threats of liquidating the family. The documents were later produced in the court in their absence, the victim's father added.

At Chandigarh, Badal alleged the case was one of political blackmail, and alleged attempts by his political opponents to malign him. He stated that the alleged victim had been stating conflicting facts on different occasions. While conceding that the alleged victim along with some other people had visited his residence, he stated that they had come on their own accord and denied that they were forcefully kept at his place. The Punjab minister reiterated that the name of his son does not figure either in the FIR or in the application submitted by the girl to the SSP.

He also presented copies of the middle standard certificate of the girl to prove that she is not a minor. When asked as to why he was presenting the girl's certificate, Badal replied that he had done so to refute the contention of some that the girl was a minor. When asked if he would be willing to showcopies of his son's certificate, Badal replied in the affirmative. He clarified that Suba was the pet name of his son, and in all official records, including the matriculation certificate and at the work place, the name of his son was mentioned as Manjit Singh.