Kanpur, August 21: Trouble mounts for Punjab Cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, as two petitions were filed in Varanasi and Kanpur courts separately to register sedition case against the Congress leader for hugging Pakistani Army chief General Javed Qamar Bajwa. Sidhu hugged the Pak Army Chief during the swearing-in ceremony of Imran Khan on August 18. According to United News India, In the Varanasi case, the petition has been filed by a lawyer Kamlesh Chandra Tripathi under sections 121(A), 124 (B) and 511 of Indian Penal Code at ACJM court.

The court is likely to hear the case on August 23. Meanwhile, in the Kanpur case, lawyer Priyanshu Saxena filed a petition in Mahanagar Magistrate-7 court. As per reports, the hearing, in this case, is scheduled on August 27. Sexena in his petition said that embracing the Pakistani Army chief should be treated as sedition.

However, on Tuesday, Newly-elected Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan thanked the Punjab Minister for attending his swearing-in ceremony. He called Sidhu an ambassador of peace. In his tweet, Khan said, “Those targetting him in India are doing a great disservice to peace.” He also reiterated that India and Pakistan must resolve conflicts which include Kashmir through dialogue. Today, Bajrang Dal's Agra unit president Sanjay Jaat has also announced a bounty of Rs 5 lakhs for the heads of Sidhu and Pakistan Army Chief.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 21, 2018 10:19 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).