E-Paper
Behbal Kalan firing: Trial against Saini, Umranangal to start from April 2
Now, the Faridkot sessions court will listen the arguments against all the accused, including ex-Punjab DGP and suspended IGP
Two months after the special investigation team (SIT), probing 2015 police firing incidents, filed a chargesheet against former director general of police (DGP) Sumedh Singh Saini and suspended inspector general of police Paramraj Singh Umranangal, in the FIR registered in 2015 in connection with the Behbal Kalan firing incident, the court of judicial magistrate (first class), Faridkot, Suresh Kumar on Wednesday committed the chargesheet to the sessions court.
The trial against Saini and Umranangal will start in the Faridkot district and sessions court from April 2. However, the main chargesheet against the other co-accused, which was already committed, is pending in the sessions court for consideration of framing charges. Now, the sessions court will listen the arguments against all the accused, including Saini and Umranangal.
During hearing, heavy police force was deployed at the Faridkot judicial complex on Wednesday. Saini skipped the hearing, while Umranangal appeared before the court. An application for exemption from the personal appearance of Saini was filed, which was allowed by the court. The court also directed Saini’s counsel to ensure his presence in the sessions court on the fixed date.
“The offense under Sections 302 (murder) and 307 (attempt to murder) of IPC are exclusively triable by the court of sessions. The main challan against other co-accused is pending in the court of sessions. Therefore, the present case is committed to the court of sessions judge, Faridkot, Sumeet Malhotra for April 2 and accused persons are directed to appear before the court on said date at sharp 10am so that arguments on charge against all the accused can be heard together,” said JMIC Suresh Kumar.
The SIT is yet to file a supplementary chargesheet against inspector Gurdeep Singh Pandher, who is also an accused in the case. Following an application of Pandher, the Punjab and Haryana high court has directed SIT not to file chargesheet against him till further order.
On September 10, 2020, the SIT told a Faridkot court that Saini and Umranangal were the main conspirators in the Behbal Kalan firing incident. On September 28, SIT nominated Saini and Umranangal as accused in the FIR registered at Bajakhana police station in connection with Behbal Kalan firing case.
On January 15, SIT filed a supplementary chargesheet under sections 302, 307, 218, 201, 166-A, 120-B, 34, 194, 195, 109 of IPC in Behbal Kalan firing case naming Saini and Umranangal.
