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2015 police firing: Special public prosecutor RS Bains appears in Faridkot trial court for first time, accused oppose appointment
Accused move a plea opposing Bains’ appointment as special public prosecutor , saying he cannot lead prosecution having represented complainants in the Punjab and Haryana high court in 2015 police firing cases
The Punjab government’s newly appointed special public prosecutor in the 2015 Behbal Kalan and Kotkapura police firing incidents, advocate Rajwinder Singh Bains, on Tuesday appeared in a trial court at Faridkot for the first time in connection with the cases.
But the accused cops — both serving and retired — moved an application opposing Bains’ appointment, saying he cannot lead the prosecution having represented the complainants in the Punjab and Haryana high court in the firing cases.
In another petition, referring to the high court’s order staying investigations in cases pending against former director general of police (DGP) Sumedh Singh Saini till February 2022, they asked the court to stay proceedings against all the accused till then.
Six accused including, suspended inspector general of police Paramraj Singh Umranangal, former SSP Charanjit Singh Sharma, SP Bikramjit Singh and inspector Amarjit Singh appeared in the court on Tuesday.
Additional district and sessions judge Harbans Singh Lekhi adjourned for hearing till October 29.
Former Moga senior superintendent of police (SSP) Charanjit Singh Sharma’s counsel HS Saini said they challenged Banis’ appointment as it was the prosecution’s job to assist the court in a neutral manner.
Bains was the counsel of Sukhraj Singh, son of Bhagwan Krishan Singh who was killed in the Behbal Kalan firing on October 14, 2015, and Ajit Singh, who was injured in the Kotkapura incident.
‘Claims of suspects not sustainable’
Advocate Bains said the opposition of the accused to his appointment as special public prosecutor was not sustainable and they must show provision in the law on this. “Since they don’t have any valid point to make, they are filling these applications to waste time. We will file a reply and argue on the basis of facts on the next date,” he added.
So far, designated government district lawyers have been appearing in the trial courts in the firing cases.
In the Behbal Kalan case, challans have been presented and are pending trial. The prosecution supplied 1000-page documents to the accused following the directions of the court.
