Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 31

Just under a month of its formation, the ADGP LK Yadav-led special investigation team into the Kotkapura police firing incident today questioned former DGP Sumedh Singh Saini for four hours at the Punjab Police Officers’ Institute, Chandigarh.

Asked to reveal sequence of events

• The SIT asked officials about the sequence of events leading to the firing incident, besides who gave orders to open fire at the mob protesting sacrilege incidents, say sources
• The SIT was formed on the orders of the HC after it dissolved the five-member SIT, including IG Kunwar Vijay Pratap as the lead investigator

In the marathon sitting, the SIT, including Ludhiana Police Commissioner Rakesh Aggarwal and Faridkot DIG Surjit Singh, also questioned then ADGP (Law and Order) Rohit Chaudhary and ADGP IPS Sahota, who headed the Bureau of Investigation at the time of the incident in October 2015.

The questioning came on a day when several Congress MLAs and ministers appeared before a party committee in New Delhi to resolve the ongoing discontent within the state unit. A number of MLAs, led by former minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, had been targeting the Capt Amarinder government over its failure to provide justice in the Kotkpaura and Behbal Kalan police firing and sacrilege incidents. The state government is under pressure to show result in the police investigation due to legal and political necessities. The High Court has ordered completion of probe within six months. Politically, the state government is under pressure both from Opposition and Congress leaders.

The SIT had summoned the officials yesterday. A notice was pasted outside the Saini’s residence yesterday, said sources.

A number of other officials, including suspended IG Paramraj Singh Umranangal, were also present at the institute. The SIT, however, could not question them as the quizzing of the three top officials went on for hours. While Chaudhary and Sahota were questioned for around three hours, Saini was grilled for nearly four hours. He would be summoned again as he did not respond to all queries, said a source. Sources said the officials were asked about the sequence of events leading to the firing, besides who gave the orders to open fire at the mob that was protesting a series of sacrilege incidents. The SIT had last week questioned a number of civilians associated with the case. They were listed as private witnesses.