As the Punjab government was relying on the polygraph (lie-detector) test on the two accused brothers to go ahead in the Bargari sacrilege case, a Faridkot court on Saturday declined the permission to conduct the test.
The police had moved an application in the court to allow the test on Rupinder Singh and Jaswinder Singh from Panjgrain Khurd village in Moga. The court of duty magistrate Kiran Bala denied the permission after the two didn’t consent to undergoing the test, which is mandatory as per law.
Accused’s counsel Shivkartar Singh said the brothers neither consented to it nor denied it and wanted to discuss the matter with Panthic leaders.
Panthic organisations are leading the agitation over the desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib at Bargari village in Faridkot and have blamed the state government for framing the brothers in the case.
Faridkot SSP Sukhmandar Singh said they would review the matter and decide in due course whether to approach the court afresh for the test.
Meanwhile, Sikh preacher Panthpreet Singh said instead of getting stuck with conducting the test, the government should release the brothers as Sikhs believed that they could not resort to sacrilege.
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, Sikh preacher Panthpreet Singh said instead of getting stuck with conducting the test, the government should release the brothers as Sikhs believed that they could not resort to sacrilege.
{{/usCountry}}“The government has framed the brothers. Religious preachers have expressed doubts over the veracity of the lie-detector test. Why doesn’t the government conduct the test on those accused of other crimes?” he said.