Kotakpura police firing: SAD chief Sukhbir Badal skips appearance before SIT

CHANDIGARH: SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Tuesday did not appear before the Punjab Police's Special Investigation Team (SIT) in the 2015 Kotkapura police firing incident with the party claiming that he had not been served summons in the case.

However, official sources said the SIT had recently served the summons through a police official and a courier twice to Badal but they were was not received as it was told that he was out of the country.

The summons was also sent through the WhatsApp number of an aide of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief, they said.

Meanwhile, it is learnt that the SIT has summoned Badal again on September 14 to appear before it in the case.

The SAD chief said in Ferozepur on Tuesday he did not get any message about the summons earlier.

He said he was contacted by the SIT on Monday night and he told them that he should be given a next date for appearance as he had to appear in a court in Zira in Ferozepur in some other case on Tuesday.

Replying to a question, Badal rubbished the AAP charge that he was evading questioning.

Aam Aadmi Party chief spokesperson Malvinder Singh Kang asked Badal why he is evading inquiry and not appearing before the SIT in the Kotakpura firing incident "if he is honest and has nothing to conceal in this case".

The SIT, probing the 2015 Kotkapura police firing case, had summoned the SAD chief to appear before it on August 30 for questioning in the incident.

Badal, who was the deputy chief minister and also held home affairs portfolio when the incident took place in 2015, was asked by the SIT to appear at Punjab Police Officers' Institute here with relevant records.

Earlier in the day, the SAD said Badal had not been served summons by the SIT, but he was ready to cooperate in the investigation.

The SAD chief asked the SIT to clarify whether the summons for his appearance before the probe team being circulated in the media was issued by it.

SAD leader and spokesperson Arshdeep Singh Kler on Tuesday said Badal had not been served summons "personally".

Kler claimed that Badal was to appear in a court in Zira in Ferozepur in some other case on Tuesday.

"The summons is circulated on electronic and social media that Badal has been summoned in the Kotkapura firing case. However, the summons has not been served to Badal personally," the SAD spokesperson said.

Kler said the SAD chief had written to the SIT to clarify whether the summons has been issued by it.

"If it (summons) has been issued by the SIT, then it should give us a next date and we are ready to cooperate in the probe," Kler said, adding the SAD chief has gone to Zira to appear in the court there.

The SIT had earlier questioned former director general of police Sumedh Singh Saini in the case here.

SIT head Additional Director General of Police L K Yadav had summoned the former state police chief for appearance before the probe team.

Saini has been named as an accused in the 2015 Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan police firing incidents in Faridkot.

Last month, the Punjab and Haryana High Court had dismissed a bunch of petitions filed by Saini and other accused police officers against the Punjab Police's probe into the 2015 Behbal Kalan firing case.

Saini and others had demanded quashing of the FIR and chargesheet filed by the SIT and transfer of the case to the CBI.

The incidents related to the theft of a 'bir' (copy) of the Guru Ganth Sahib, putting up handwritten sacrilegious posters and torn pages of the holy book found scattered at Bargari had taken place in Faridkot in 2015.

These incidents had triggered protests in Faridkot.

Two persons were killed in Behbal Kalan while some people were injured at Kotkapura in Faridkot after police fired at protesters in October 2015.

CHANDIGARH: SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Tuesday did not appear before the Punjab Police's Special Investigation Team (SIT) in the 2015 Kotkapura police firing incident with the party claiming that he had not been served summons in the case. However, official sources said the SIT had recently served the summons through a police official and a courier twice to Badal but they were was not received as it was told that he was out of the country. The summons was also sent through the WhatsApp number of an aide of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief, they said. Meanwhile, it is learnt that the SIT has summoned Badal again on September 14 to appear before it in the case. The SAD chief said in Ferozepur on Tuesday he did not get any message about the summons earlier. He said he was contacted by the SIT on Monday night and he told them that he should be given a next date for appearance as he had to appear in a court in Zira in Ferozepur in some other case on Tuesday. Replying to a question, Badal rubbished the AAP charge that he was evading questioning. Aam Aadmi Party chief spokesperson Malvinder Singh Kang asked Badal why he is evading inquiry and not appearing before the SIT in the Kotakpura firing incident "if he is honest and has nothing to conceal in this case". The SIT, probing the 2015 Kotkapura police firing case, had summoned the SAD chief to appear before it on August 30 for questioning in the incident. Badal, who was the deputy chief minister and also held home affairs portfolio when the incident took place in 2015, was asked by the SIT to appear at Punjab Police Officers' Institute here with relevant records. Earlier in the day, the SAD said Badal had not been served summons by the SIT, but he was ready to cooperate in the investigation. The SAD chief asked the SIT to clarify whether the summons for his appearance before the probe team being circulated in the media was issued by it. SAD leader and spokesperson Arshdeep Singh Kler on Tuesday said Badal had not been served summons "personally". Kler claimed that Badal was to appear in a court in Zira in Ferozepur in some other case on Tuesday. "The summons is circulated on electronic and social media that Badal has been summoned in the Kotkapura firing case. However, the summons has not been served to Badal personally," the SAD spokesperson said. Kler said the SAD chief had written to the SIT to clarify whether the summons has been issued by it. "If it (summons) has been issued by the SIT, then it should give us a next date and we are ready to cooperate in the probe," Kler said, adding the SAD chief has gone to Zira to appear in the court there. The SIT had earlier questioned former director general of police Sumedh Singh Saini in the case here. SIT head Additional Director General of Police L K Yadav had summoned the former state police chief for appearance before the probe team. Saini has been named as an accused in the 2015 Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan police firing incidents in Faridkot. Last month, the Punjab and Haryana High Court had dismissed a bunch of petitions filed by Saini and other accused police officers against the Punjab Police's probe into the 2015 Behbal Kalan firing case. Saini and others had demanded quashing of the FIR and chargesheet filed by the SIT and transfer of the case to the CBI. The incidents related to the theft of a 'bir' (copy) of the Guru Ganth Sahib, putting up handwritten sacrilegious posters and torn pages of the holy book found scattered at Bargari had taken place in Faridkot in 2015. These incidents had triggered protests in Faridkot. Two persons were killed in Behbal Kalan while some people were injured at Kotkapura in Faridkot after police fired at protesters in October 2015.