Former Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal will appear before Special Investigation Team (SIT) at his official MLA resident in Sector 4, Chandigarh on June 22 in connection with Kotkapura police firing case. The Shiromani Akali Dal added that he is still not in good health but keen to fulfill his 'legal duties'.
Badal failed to appear before SIT on June 16, citing ill-health and his age. After which SIT had to rescheduled his questioning after Badal expressed inability to appear before the panel.
"Still not in good health, Mr Badal however is keen to fulfill his legal & constitutional duties as a law abiding citizen of the country," said Harcharan Bains, Principal Advisor to SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal.
The SIT is to ascertain as to who gave the orders to open fire, whether the cops fired in self-defence and if standard operating procedure was followed. Parkash Singh Badal was Punjab's chief minister when police opened fire on protesters on October 14, 2015, killing two and injuring others.
The three-member SIT of Punjab Police is headed by additional director general of police (vigilance bureau) LK Yadav. Ludhiana police commissioner Rakesh Agrawal and Faridkot range DIG Surjit Singh are the other two members.
The new SIT started its investigation on May 13 and summoned people, which gave statements to previous investigation team, to appear before it.
Two persons were killed and many others were injured after the police under the previous SAD-BJP government resorted to unprovoked firing on hundreds of people protesting the alleged desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib in Bargari village in Faridkot district in 2015.
