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ARMS ACT CASE: Moose Wala fails to join probe despite court orders
While granting interim bail to the singer on June 30, the court directed him to join investigation before the investigating officer within 7 days
Defying the court orders, Punjabi singer Shubhdeep Singh, alias Sidhu Moose Wala, has failed join Sangrur police investigation in an Arms Act case.
While granting interim bail to Moose Wala on June 30, the court directed the singer to join the investigation before the investigating officer or the SHO within seven days from date of issuing orders. As per the court’s direction, Moose Wala was to join the investigation by July 6.
On May 4, Barnala police booked Moose Wala and eight others for violating curfew after a video of him firing an official assault rifle went viral on social media. Seven cops, including a DSP, have been suspended in the matter.
On May 5, Sangrur police booked the singer, his friends and some cops after another video surfaced where he was seen firing from a private pistol at Ladda Kothi shooting range. Police stations in Barnala and Sangrur added provisions of the Arms Act in the first information reports (FIR) on May 18.
The next hearing in the case is schedule for July 15, in which the court has asked the police submit the report with regard to the joining of the investigation by Moose Wala.
One of the officials privy to the investigation said: “Even the special investigation team (SIT) looking into the matter has misinterpreted the court orders, giving more time to Moose Wala to join investigation by July 15. The orders clearly mentioned that he was to join investigation within stipulated time period of seven days.”
“No summon has been issued to the singer even by the SIT even after he jumped the deadline,” he added.
Superintendent of police, Punjab Bureau of Investigation, Gurmeet Singh said the singer has not reported before the investigation team as yet. “Though he missed the deadline, the singer is likely to join the investigation before hearing of the case. We will submit the report in the court accordingly,” he said.
IG Patiala range Jatinder Aulakh could not be contacted.
The court also directed Moose Wala to make himself available in the investigation of the case, as and when required, and not tamper with the prosecution evidence, besides restricting the applicant to leave the country without prior permission of the court.
Going through the judicial file, the court also observed that “the video shown by the prosecution in the court, which had gone viral on social media and which was also one of the basis of registration of FIR makes it look like an event organised by the police itself and even a proper green carpet has been laid out on the ground”.
Raising questions over police theory, the court said when the firing event was organised by the police and the police themselves helped the accused in firing weapons at a police firing range.
The court had further observed that it seems that only when the video was circulated on the social media, FIR was registered by the police to save their face.
