Behbal Kalan firing: Ex-SSP seeks probe into injuries suffered by cops

Faridkot court has issued a notice to the state government to file a reply on the next hearing on November 12

Former Moga senior superintendent of police (SSP) Charanjit Singh Sharma, who is an accused in the 2015 police firing case, asked the court to issue directions to Punjab Police to conduct further investigation with regard to the injuries suffered by the cops as well as damage to the public property during the Behbal Kalan firing incident of October 14, 2015. Sharma has been granted interim bail on health grounds in the case.

The plea asks Punjab Police to conduct further investigation with regard to the injuries suffered by the cops as well as damage to the public property during the Behbal Kalan firing incident of October 14, 2015.

Sharma filed an application in the court of additional district and sessions judge Harbans Singh Lekhi on Friday. The court has issued a notice to the state to file a reply on the next hearing on November 12.

A list of eight police officers along with their medico-legal reports (MLRs) was submitted by Sharma claiming that they received injuries during the incident at Behbal Kalan. “The matter pertaining to injuries to the police officials as well as damage to public property is still unanswered. Even the probe commissions and Punjab police teams have no answer in this regard. Only one side of the case has been investigated by police teams, which is unfair,” he added.

In his petition, the former SSP claimed that protestors started pelting the police party with stones and also firing on cops with intent to kill them. “Many shots were fired from amongst protesters and police was also attacked with sharp-edged weapons,” it reads.

However, the special investigation team (SIT) probing 2015 police firing cases has claimed in the chargesheets that police opened fire on peaceful protesters and the former Moga SSP conspired with other police officers, including former Punjab DGP Sumedh Singh Saini and suspended IG Paramraj Singh Umranangal to cover up facts relating to the firing, in which two Sikhs protesting over sacrilege incidents were killed at Behbal Kalan.

The court also heard arguments on an application filed by Sharma challenging appointment of senior advocate RS Bains as special public prosecutor. However, the matter was adjourned after the Punjab and Haryana high court stayed Bains’ appearance in the trial court till further orders.