Kotkapura/Behbal Kalan Firing Probe Handed Over To CBI- Amarinder Singh
Kotkapura/Behbal Kalan Firing Probe Handed Over To CBI- Amarinder Singh Accepting the recommendation of the Justice (retd) Ranjit Singh Commission, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Monday announced his government’s decision to hand over the probe into Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan firing that followed the Bargari sacrilege to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The Chief Minister also announced compensation and jobs for the victims/families of the police firing at Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan that took place on October 14, 2015. The government, he further said, had decided to enhance the compensation amount from that recommended by the Commission, whose report was legally examined by Advocate General Atul Nanda before being considered by the government. Addressing a press conference here, the Chief Minister said the decision to hand over to CBI further probe into the matter against all those implicated by the Commission had been taken to ensure an impartial and objective investigation after registering a case under Section 307 IPC. The role of all the police officers named by the Commission will be probed by the CBI and all documents related to the incidents will be handed over to the agency, said the Chief Minister. The Commission of Enquiry headed by Justice (Retd) Ranjit Singh submitted its first (part-I) report on 30th June 2018. Though the full report is awaited, the Government has decided to accept the recommendations made by the Commission so far, said Captain Amarinder. The report of the Commission would be laid on the floor of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha in its next session after the Commission completes its proceedings. Responding to a query, the Chief Minister said a special session of the House will be called only the government receives the full report since action taken report cannot be tabled on a partial report. In the first part, the Commission has covered incidents of sacrilege of holy Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji at villages Burj Jawahar Singh Wala, Bargari, Gurusar and Mallke on and around 01.06.2015, 25.09.2015, 11.10.2015 and 12.10.2015; and police action involving firing at Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan on 14.10.2015, leading to death of two persons and injuries to some other persons. The Chief Minister said the Commission, in its 1st report, has recommended appropriate action against the then SDM Kotkapura and those police officials who, though not apparently guilty of any criminal act, were nevertheless seen to be responsible for police action. A number of police officers have been found liable for failing to carry out proper and fair investigations of incidents of sacrilege and in the cases which were registered regarding use of force at Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan. The Commission has, in particular, mentioned the role of Inspector Pardip Singh, SI Arriarjit Singh, and SSP Bikramjit Singh and recommended them to be named as accused in FIR No. 130 Police Station Baja Khanna and their role be thoroughly investigated which has not happened so far. The role of gunman Charanjit Singh Sharma has also been cited in this context and the Commission has recommended that his role, and that of Constable Shamsher Singh, Constable Harpreet Singh, Constable Gurpreet Singh and Constable Parminder Singh, as also of Inspector Harpal Singh SHO Ladowal, be thoroughly investigated as they were carrying assault rifles at Behbal Kalan. -PTC News
