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Sukhbir quizzed for six hours in 2015 Kotkapura police firing case
SAD chief Sukhbir Badal was asked at least 40 questions, including those pertaining to his role during the sacrilege incident and handling of cases by the then home ministry led by him, sources said
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday appeared before the Punjab Police’s special investigation team (SIT) probing the 2015 Kotkapura police action case and was quizzed for nearly six hours.
This was for the second time that the former Punjab deputy chief minister was grilled for his role in the cases related to 2015 sacrilege.
The SAD chief was asked at least 40 questions, including those pertaining to his role during the sacrilege incident and handling of cases by the then home ministry led by him, sources said.
He was also asked around 10 questions on why and who ordered the police firing on Sikh protesters that led to a clash between them and the police, said a person privy to the matter.
Sukhbir, however, expressed his ignorance on the issue stating that he was not in the country that time and had availed an official leave, the sources added.
He was grilled by the SIT headed by ADGP LK Yadav on Wednesday, whereas the probing team led by IG Naunihal Singh had questioned him on September 6.
Earlier, the SIT had summoned the SAD chief on August 30, but he did not appear before it.
AAP govt trying to divert attention from its scandals: SAD chief
Meanwhile, the SAD chief said that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government was raking up the Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan cases “purely to divert attention from its scandals”.
“I am being summoned repeatedly to divert attention from the scandals of this government, the latest one being the extortion scam involving minister Fauja Singh Sarari,” he added.
Sukhbir said all police actions were part of a laid down procedure. The decisions were taken by the administration, he added.
“I am repeatedly being asked questions about the firing incident even though it is clear that the action was taken by the authorised officer,” he further said.
Asking the SIT to be fair and objective, Sukhbir said, “I am ready for questioning 100 times but this issue should not be politicised.”
He said it was “shocking” that despite the high court’s direction that there would not be any interference in the functioning of the SIT which is to report directly to it, AAP leader Kuldeep Dhaliwal was issuing statements that the probing team was likely to arrest him.
“Under what authority is he making such statements?” Sukhbir asked, adding that the minister was liable to be prosecuted for contempt of court.
