The new SIT, set as much as probe the Kotkapura firing case after sacrilege, questioned former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for over two hours on Tuesday in reference to two FIRs lodged on the Kotkapura police station on October 14, 2015 and August 7, 2018.
The three-member SIT is headed by ADGP (Vigilance Bureau) LK Yadav and contains Ludhiana commissioner Rakesh Agarwal and DIG Faridkot vary Surjit Singh.
On Tuesday, Yadav and Agarwal reached Badal’s residence at round 10.30 am together with Vijay Singla, who retired as Director of Prosecution. The Akali Dal objected to Singla’s presence and alleged that it was a “violation” of the High Court orders because the third member of the SIT, DIG Surjit Singh, was not current and Singla was introduced in in his absence. When contacted, Singla stated that he had been appointed as a “legal expert” by the SIT and had “settled down” with the SIT.
Addressing a press convention later within the day, senior Akali Dal leaders alleged that the brand new SIT probe was “politically motivated” and was utilized by the Congress authorities to achieve “political gains” forward of subsequent yr’s Punjab Assembly elections. was being executed for.
SAD leaders additionally alleged that Yadav was promoted to the rank of ADGP “overnight” ignoring different ADGP rank officers within the police drive.
The three-member SIT is headed by ADGP/Vigilance Bureau LK Yadav and contains Ludhiana Commissioner Rakesh Agarwal and DIG Faridkot Range Surjit Singh. Express Photo by Jasbir Malhi
The new SIT was shaped on the instructions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on April 9 after the earlier SIT headed by the then IG Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh quashed the investigation. The court docket had directed that Vijay shouldn’t be included within the new SIT. Under the management of an officer superior to his (Kunwar’s) rank and place.
Following a court docket order, Kunwar Vijay later took voluntary retirement. On Monday, he joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) within the presence of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
The Akali Dal additionally hit out at Chief Minister Amarinder Singh for “not registering a case” in opposition to Vijay, regardless of a number of “strictions” in opposition to him by the court docket, together with participating in “political theatrics”.
Badal didn’t seem earlier than senior media, whereas senior Akali leaders, former MPs Prem Singh Chandumajra, Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal and SAD spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema, who addressed the press convention, stated it was “unprecedented” {that a} former CM from was interrogated. Case of try to homicide (Section 307 IPC). In 2015, a protester was shot within the thigh throughout anti-sacrificial demonstrations in Kotkapura.
The Akali leaders claimed that it was the sub-divisional Justice of the Peace (SDM) of the world who referred to as (to permit the police to fireside) and the then CM Badal was not concerned in any method.
The new SIT was shaped on 9 April on the instructions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court after the earlier SIT headed by the then IG Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh quashed the investigation. Express Photo by Jasbir Malhi
SAD president Sukhbir Badal additionally accused the Congress of “playing politics”. “Earlier additionally Congress did politics on this difficulty and now it’s doing politics once more. Its objective is to not catch the culprits, however to do politics.” Sukhbir said that the Akali Dal “was saying earlier additionally that CM Amarinder Singh and Kunwar Vijay Pratap are doing politics on this difficulty”.
This was the second time that Badal was questioned by the SIT. High drama occurred in November 2018 when Kunwar Vijay reached Badal’s residence in Chandigarh at 2.30 pm and Badal insisted that the then SIT president Prabodh Kumar also needs to come. Badal had requested Kunwar to make preparations to speak to Kumar over the telephone.
The new SIT constituted on May 7 has already questioned and recorded the statements of a number of individuals, together with the then DGP Sumedh Singh Saini, who retired in June 2018.
The Yadav-led SIT had initially summoned Badal to look earlier than the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) relaxation home on June 16.
However, 5 days after the SIT issued the summons, Badal expressed his incapacity to attend resulting from his “current state of health”, stating that he was totally dedicated to cooperating with the regulation. In his reply, Badal connected a medical certificates dated June 8 and wrote that he had been suggested full relaxation for ten days by his physician. “As soon as my health improves, I will be available at my present residence i.e. MLA Flat No 37, Sector 4, Chandigarh to attend the investigation as per law,” Badal wrote within the letter.
Following this, the SIT wrote to Badal saying it will interrogate him at his residence on June 22. Though “still not in good health”, a SAD spokesperson stated, Badal was “eager to fulfill his legal and constitutional duties as a law-abiding citizen of the country” and was beneath investigation on Tuesday. determined to hitch.
During interrogation, a workforce of medical specialists reached Badal’s residence to look at him. Harcharan Bains, principal advisor to Sukhbir Badal, stated this was a part of the routine medical check-up of senior Badal.
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
