2015 Kotkapura firing: Sukhbir, Saini hatched deep-rooted conspiracy to take political benefits, says SIT’s supplementary chargesheet
SIT-led by ADGP LK Yadav filed the fourth supplementary challan in the court of judicial magistrate, Faridkot, on Monday along with additional evidence including forensic and ballistic reports of weapons used in the incident and documents against the accused. SIT also submitted a fresh list of witnesses
The special investigation team (SIT) probing the 2015 post-sacrilege police firing incident at Kotkapura observed in its findings that Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president and then deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal and former director general of police (DGP) Sumedh Singh Saini had ‘hatched a deep-rooted conspiracy to take political benefits of dera Sacha Sauda premis (as the sect’s followers are known) in elections.’
More than a year after filling the first chargesheet, SIT-led by ADGP LK Yadav filed the fourth supplementary challan in the court of judicial magistrate, Faridkot, on Monday along with additional evidence including forensic and ballistic reports of weapons used in the incident and documents against the accused. SIT also submitted a fresh list of witnesses.
“After completion of investigation in FIR 129 it is crystal clear that Sukhbir Singh Badal and Sumedh Singh Saini hatched a deep-rooted conspiracy with a motive to take political benefits of dera premis in elections,” reads page 55 of the supplementary chargesheet filed by SIT.
The 130-page supplementary chargesheet was filed against Badal, Saini, inspector general of police (IGP) Paramraj Singh Umranangal, DIG Amar Singh Chahal, then Faridkot senior superintendent of police (SSP) Sukhminder Singh Mann and SSP Charanjit Singh Sharma in FIR-129 registered in 2018 after the Kotkapura firing incident.
The FIR-129 was registered in 2018 on the recommendation of justice Ranjit Singh’s (retd) commission report, which probed the Kotkapura firing incident and held cops responsible. On February 24, 2023, the SIT, set up by Capt Amarinder Singh-led Congress government in May 2021, had filed a chargesheet in two FIRs connected to the Kotkapura firing incident— FIR-192 and FIR-129. However, four cops were named in FIR-192 by the SIT for a criminal conspiracy along with other charges.
Yadav-led SIT had named former chief minister late Parkash Singh Badal, former deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal and former DGP Saini as accused. The former CM’s name was moved to column two by SIT after his death, which means no further investigation against him.
SIT on Monday also filled an 81-page supplementary chargesheet against former DGP Saini, IGP Umranangal, then-Faridkot SSP Mann and then Kotkapura station house officer (SHO) Gurdeep Singh Pandher in FIR-192 registered in 2015 after the Kotkapura firing incident.
On October 14, 2015, after the Kotkapura firing incident, the police registered the first information report (FIR-192) against 15 Sikh preachers and unidentified people at Kotkapura city police station for allegedly instigating the protesters to attack the police with sharp-edged weapons and opening fire. The FIR was registered by Pandher, who was named as an accused in this case by the SIT.
Faridkot-range inspector general of police Gursharan Singh Sandhu has been appointed as a new member of SIT probing the Kotkapura firing case. Sandhu has replaced IPS officer Rakesh Aggarwal, who has gone on central deputation.
Repeated calls and messages to Sukhbir Badal and ex-DGP Saini’s legal teams didn’t elicit any response.