With the poll debacle in Delhi serving as a wake-up call for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab, the Bhagwant Mann government appears to be expediting the investigation into the Behbal Kalan police firing case. The special investigation team (SIT) probing the case has intensified efforts to conclude the probe at the earliest.
On Tuesday, the SIT led by inspector general of police (IGP) Naunihal Singh, held a meeting in Chandigarh, where it was decided to accelerate the ongoing investigation.
The case dates back to October 14, 2015, when police opened fire on protesters in Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan during demonstrations against a sacrilege incident at Bargari in Faridkot district. The firing resulted in the deaths of two protesters — Gurjeet Singh of Sarawan village and Krishan Bhagwan Singh of Niamiwala village — while several others were injured in Kotkapura.
Following the Punjab and Haryana high court’s decision to quash the findings of the previous SIT report on the Kotkapura firing case, which was led by then IGP Kunwar Vijay Pratap (now an AAP MLA), the previous Congress government constituted a new SIT under Naunihal Singh on May 15, 2021, to reinvestigate the matter.
The earlier SIT, led by ADGP Pramod Kumar, had filed five chargesheets against seven accused in the Behbal Kalan case. The first chargesheet in April 2019 named former Moga SSP Charanjit Singh Sharma as the conspirator, while the latest supplementary chargesheet, filed in January 2021, named former DGP Sumedh Singh Saini and IGP Paramraj Singh Umranangal as the masterminds. Inspector Pardeep Singh turned approver in the case.
{{/usCountry}}The earlier SIT, led by ADGP Pramod Kumar, had filed five chargesheets against seven accused in the Behbal Kalan case. The first chargesheet in April 2019 named former Moga SSP Charanjit Singh Sharma as the conspirator, while the latest supplementary chargesheet, filed in January 2021, named former DGP Sumedh Singh Saini and IGP Paramraj Singh Umranangal as the masterminds. Inspector Pardeep Singh turned approver in the case.
{{/usCountry}}Since May, proceedings in the Behbal Kalan and Kotkapura police firing cases have been stalled due to the transfer of one case from Faridkot to Chandigarh.
“Today, the SIT held a detailed discussion on the Behbal Kalan case and decided to expedite the probe,” said an SIT member.
The other two members of the SIT are DIG (border range) Satinder Singh and AIG Swarandeep Singh.
As delays in justice for the Behbal Kalan and Kotkapura police action cases continue, the current government faces mounting criticism, even from within its ranks. AAP legislator Kunwar Vijay Pratap has been vocal in criticising his own party over the issue.