The National Commission for Scheduled Castes on Monday sought the arrest of Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring and other accused within five days in a case pertaining to alleged derogatory remarks against former Union home minister late Buta Singh last year.
The commission, under the chairmanship of Kishor Makwana, also sought the status of such action within five days and recommended that the investigation be completed “expeditiously” and the chargesheet filed before the competent court without further “undue delay”. Warring dubbed the move as “political vendetta”.
According to a statement issued by the commission, the hearing was held in connection with alleged derogatory remarks made by Ludhiana MP Warring against Buta Singh during an election campaign at Tarn Taran.
Warring was booked in November last year under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and Section 196 (promoting enmity based on religion, race) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The case was registered following a complaint by Buta Singh’s son, Sarabjot Singh Sidhu, at the Cyber Crime Police Station in Kapurthala district.
Punjab Police officials, including DSP Harpreet Singh and DSP Gulzar Singh, EO and Cyber Crime, appeared on behalf of the respondent authorities, while petitioner Sarabjot Singh was also present.
{{/usCountry}}Punjab Police officials, including DSP Harpreet Singh and DSP Gulzar Singh, EO and Cyber Crime, appeared on behalf of the respondent authorities, while petitioner Sarabjot Singh was also present.
{{/usCountry}}After hearing the parties and considering the material on record, the commission expressed “serious concern” over the delay in investigation, arrest of the accused persons and submission of the action taken report (ATR) despite specific recommendations made during its previous hearing, che Commission said. During the hearing held on May 5, the commission had recommended that the investigation be completed within the stipulated period in accordance with the rules.
It had also taken note of Sarabjot Singh’s complaint that he was receiving threatening calls from the alleged accused and directed that he and his dependents be provided necessary protection under Section 15A of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. The commission had also sought an ATR within 30 days. However, during Monday’s hearing, it noted that the requisite ATR on its earlier directions had not been received.
“Taking serious note of the continuing delay, the commission today recommended that the authorities concerned take immediate necessary steps, in accordance with law, for the arrest of the accused persons involved in the matter and furnish the status of such action to the commission within five days,” the statement added.
It further recommended that the competent authority examine accountability for the delay in investigation and arrest.
“In the event of any willful neglect of duty” on the part of the investigating officers concerned is found, appropriate departmental action, including consideration under Section 4 of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, may be taken in accordance with law, the commission said. An ATR on the commission’s recommendations has been sought within 30 days, it said.
The commission also viewed the issue of the petitioner’s safety with “particular seriousness” and, in view of the alleged continuing threats to Sarabjot, recommended immediate and adequate police protection to him and his dependents, both in Delhi and Punjab, in accordance with Section 15A of the Act.
Reacting to the directive, Warring wrote on X: “The commission’s directions to authorities to arrest me within five days in a 10-month old matter, which is already sub-judice, is a sheer act of political vendetta and timed to counter the growing pressure on the @BJP4India for resorting to purification ritual in Haldwani after Kharge ji, a Dalit, addressed a rally there. “
“Such attempts at diverting the public attention after insulting the Dalit community by the RSS and the BJP will not succeed. They just can’t browbeat us. They just can’t intimidate us,” he added.
Warring said late Buta Singh’s family is like his own family and he had already apologised to them. He further clarified that he had not said anything disrespectful about late Buta Singh but only mentioned his name with a particular reference.