A32 The Punjab Guardian * Mar 03- Mar 09/2017
JASBIR SINGH PANNU WINS SUPREME COURT!
picture: Jasbir S. Pannu , Nirmal S. Toor & Manmohan S. Heer at Supreme Court Chilliwack Abbotsford: (Joe Chahal) February 22, 2017: Jasbir Singh Pannu has won his long awaited legal case, Pannu vs Kalgidhar Darbar Sahib Society (KDSS), President Sarabjit S. Sarai , Members of the KDSS Religious Advisory Committee (RAC). Judge Justice Davies heard the legal proceedings debated by Lawyer Gurpreet S. Badh representing Mr. Pannu (the plaintiff) and Lawyer Douglas MacAdams representing the Society (the defendants). Present in the BC Supreme Court, Chilliwack were Jasbir S. Pannu, Nirmal S. Toor, Jasbir S. Banwait, Joginder S. Chahal, Hardev Singh, Amandeep S. Maan, Sarabjit S. Sarai, Sukhpal S. Boparai and Hardip S.Khaira In December 2015, Mr. Pannu was wrongfully and forcefully expelled from the KDSS membership by the Society's RAC. Mr Pannu was also stripped of his position from the Executive Committee as the Society Treasurer when he questioned Mr. Sarai's use of golak money. The RAC comprised: Surdev Singh Jatana, Daljit S. Sidhu, Jagjit S. Sidhu, Balwinder S. Batra and Major S. Gill (supported and appointed members of the President Sarai). In the begining of 2016, the RAC and President Sarai were approached by many members of the Society and the Sangat to mediate an out of court settlement of the issues, but each time they were refused. It was a full day hearing. The honourable Judge Justice Davies awarded the decision in the favour
of Mr. Jasbir Singh Pannu stating that the Religious Advisory Council had been unfair in its dealings with Mr. Pannu, and that the unfair manner in which his issue was decided by the religious advisory council, warranted the setting aside of their order. Justice Davies said that he was restoring the membership of Jasbir Singh Pannu, and that an unbiased religious advisory council could proceed with dealing with Jasbir Singh Pannu's issue, provided he was given proper procedural fairness, including an opportunity to review the contents of the tape on which the previous religious advisory council had decided to expel Mr. Jasbir Singh Pannu. The honourable judge also stated that if the need arose then the parties were free to engage his services again to decide any issue that may crop up; and that if the religious advisory council wanted to reconduct the hearing then they should do it sooner than later. The honourable judge also awarded costs in favour of Mr. Jasbir Singh Pannu. Mr. Pannu stated that " Although this is a win and justice for KDSS members like me who have been targeted by Sarabjit S. Sarai, it is actually a loss for our Society, thousands of the Sangat's dollars have been senselessly wasted by the decisions of the President..... Sarai is focused on securing his presidency, not on maintenance of Gurdwara building which urgently needs a $50,000 roof repair." So far, this case has cost the Kalgidhar Darbar
Sahib Society over $75,000.00 and now the Society will have to pay additional court costs to Mr. Pannu. The Executive Committee did not have the mandate to pay MacAdams legal fees. To this day, no Legal fees were ever approved by the KDSS Society Membership nor the Executive Committee. President Sarabjit Singh Sarai, General Secretary Rajwinder Singh Aulakh and Acting Treasurer Sukhpal Singh Boparai acted alone in approving that this case be taken through the courts and approved that Guru's / Sangat's monies be used to fund the legal costs. No Special General Meeting was called to approve lawyer fees as it is a requirement of the Society's Bylaws.
THREE OTHER CASES Two other cases have been filed in the Court and a third being filed which could cost the Society and its Members over $300,000! 1. THE FIRST CASE is against the KALGIDHAR DARBAR SAHIB SOCIETY, SARABJIT SINGH SARAI, RAJWINDER SINGH AULAKH, DAVINDER SINGH GILL AND SUKHPAL SINGH BOPARAI. This case has been filed by two long standing and much respected members of