The special investigation team (SIT) probing the 2015 police firing incidents, on Wednesday, questioned the then Kotkapura DSP Baljit Singh, now an SP, in connection with Kotkapura firing, after he joined the probe.
After evading the SIT for over three weeks, Baljit appeared before the SIT to join the investigation in the FIR registered on October 14, 2015, after the Kotkapura firing. Sources confirmed that Baljit was questioned for a few hours.
The SIT probing the 2015 incidents had summoned Baljit on a couple of occasions in the first week of July, but he had failed to appear. Fearing arrest, he had moved an anticipatory bail plea in the district and sessions court, Faridkot, but the plea was dismissed and the court allowed an application for his arrest.
Later, the Punjab and Haryana high court stayed his arrest and granted him interim bail while directing him to join investigation on July 29.
Baljit was named as an accused in an FIR registered in 2018 in connection with the Kotkapura firing episode, but was granted bail.
SECURITY TO ‘PREMIS’ RELEASED ON BAIL
{{/usCountry}}SECURITY TO ‘PREMIS’ RELEASED ON BAIL
{{/usCountry}}The district police provided security cover to five dera followers accused in a ‘bir’ theft case after they were released on bail from the Bathinda jail.
The SIT probing sacrilege cases had arrested Nishan Singh and Ranjit Singh alias Bhola, of Kotkapura; Baljit Singh, of Sikhanwala village; and Randeep Singh alias Neela and Narinder Sharma, of Faridkot, in connection with a case of theft of a ‘bir’ of Guru Granth Sahib in 2015. A Faridkot court had granted them bail on Monday after which they were released.
SP Bhupinder Singh Sidhu said that 10 police personnel have been deployed with the five dera followers released from jail. “Earlier, two cops each were deployed for security of two other accused Shakti Singh and Sukhjinder Singh, who were released on bail earlier,” he added.
Faridkot SSP Swarndeep Singh had directed to review security of the dera followers accused in sacrilege cases as well as those facing threat from Sikh hardliners.