BATHINDA: A Faridkot court on Thursday dismissed the anticipatory bail application of former Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Sumedh Singh Saini and suspended Inspector General of Police (IG) Paramraj Singh Umranangal in the case of Behbal Kalan firing of October 14, 2015.
The court of district and session judge, Sumeet Malhotra, rejected their bail pleas after over three-hour arguments. On Saini’s application for anticipatory bail in Kotkapura case, the court issued notice to Punjab government and SIT for February 16.
The trial court has already issued bailable arrested warrants for Saini returnable for March 1 after he failed to appear in the court on February 8. Umranagal, who had got relief from the Punjab and Haryana high court for personal appearance in court on February 8, has been asked to appear on March 1.
Opposing the officers’ petition, Faridkot district attorney Rajnish Goyal said both have been nominated in the case for conspiracy and if given bail, they could influence the witnesses.
It was said that both the officers were in touch on phone for the entire night before police resorted to firing.
An escort vehicle of an officer was taken to Faridkot after the incident and gun shots were fired on it to show that the protesters had fired at the police at Behbal Kalan village on October 14, 2015, and the police had fired in self-defence, whereas the protesters had no weapons.
It was stated that an SP-level officer who had got the escort vehicle to Faridkot and had shots fired on it had got a pat on the back from the two officers.
It was further stated that some others could be named in the case for conspiracy.
According to Goyal, the court, in its order, observed that as two protesters had died in the firing, bail could not be granted under such circumstances.
Krishan Bhagwan Singh and Gurjit Singh were killed in police firing at Behbal Kalan on October 14, 2015 while protesting against the act of sacrilege at Bargari.