The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Kotkapura firing incident dating back to October 14, 2015, on Wednesday questioned Akali patron and the then Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal at Sector 9 residence of the Badal family. Senior Badal was questioned two days before the incidents of police firing in Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan will complete seven years on October 14 during which these remained a major issue in Punjab. Badal, 94, was questioned for around two hours and 45 minutes in the presence of a doctor who was brought along by the SIT led by Additional Director General of Police L K Yadav after senior Badal’s counsel Damanbir Singh Sobti on Tuesday wrote to SIT to bring a competent medical practitioner along “in the fitness of things” and “if it is still deemed appropriate to join Parkash Singh Badal in investigation again by the SIT”. The SIT, in a correspondence to senior Badal and while referring to two FIRs registered in connection with Kotkapura incident, had written that “keeping in view your age and health, Special Investigation Team wants to visit you at your present place of residence for the purpose of investigation of the above said cases since you are acquainted with the circumstances of these cases”. The SIT had further written, “Kindly intimate your present place of residence as per your convenience and remain present with records, if any, on 12.10.2022 at 11 AM at the place intimated by you to the Special Investigation Team.” In response to this correspondence, Sobti on Tuesday wrote to the SIT that six-month time duration to complete investigation in the two FIRs as directed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court on April 9, 2021 had “since lapsed”. In the letter to the SIT, Sobti added, “Further, as a law abiding citizen and showing utmost respect to a free and fair investigation process, on two previous occasions i.e. 26.11.2018 and 22.06.2021, Parkash Singh Badal had made himself available for all possible assistance to the SIT (including the present SIT) investigating the above FIRs.” This is for the second time that Badal has been quizzed by Yadav-led SIT, after his earlier questioning on June 22, 2021. On November 26, 2018, Badal was questioned by SIT of which then IG Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh was a member. At that time, questioning of Badal started only after senior member of the SIT Prabodh Kumar reached the spot after being called over phone by Badal as former CM insisted that he (Prabodh Kumar) be present during the questioning, while casting aspersions on the investigations done by Kunwar Vijay who is now AAP MLA from Amritsar North. On April 9, 2021, the Punjab and Haryana High Court quashed the investigations done by Kunwar Vijay in a hard-hitting order, following which SIT headed by Yadav was constituted. Sobti, in the letter to SIT on Tuesday, wrote, “Presently, Parkash Singh Badal is facing multiple medical and co-morbidity issues, due to which he is unable to join investigation again.” Sobti also noted, “It is submitted that every bit of information that Parkash Singh Badal had about the facts and circumstances pertaining to the above FIRs, has already been duly narrated by him twice before to the previous and the present SIT. The statements have been video-graphed and are readily available before your good-self.’ Sobti further wrote, “However, Parkash Singh Badal is recuperating presently at his residence i.e. House number 256, Sector 9, Chandigarh and will be available at 11 AM on 12.10.2022, as desired by your good-self. It shall also be in the fitness of things for the SIT to bring a competent medical practitioner along, if it is still deemed appropriate to join Parkash Singh Badal in investigation again by the SIT.” Sobti told The Indian Express over the phone that senior Badal was “questioned at length despite very bad health and provided all the assistance to the SIT. Despite health issues, we did not seek any adjournment and he (Badal) answered the queries while lying on bed”. The Punjab Police was alleged to have opened fire on anti-sacrilege protesters in Kotkapura, leaving a few injured on October 14 after sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib in Bargari on October 12 where torn pages (ang) of Guru Granth Sahib were found strewn. The related incidents of sacrilege and police firing on protesters where a ‘bir’ (copy) of Guru Granth Sahib was first stolen from Burj Jawahar Singh Wala village on June 1, 2015 and two protesters were killed at Behbal Kalan on October 14, 2015, had put Punjab on the boil with members of Sikh community protesting against erstwhile Akali Dal government. In the recently held Punjab Vidhan Sabha session, AAP MLA Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh had highlighted the issue again, raising question marks on the functioning of SIT led by Yadav and his promotion in the rank of ADGP by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh-led government. Yadav-led SIT had in September questioned SAD chief Sukhbir Badal in connection with Kotkapura firing case. Sukhbir, who was deputy chief minister having home portfolio at the time of incidents, was questioned by another SIT led by Inspector General Naunihal Singh which is probing Behbal Kalan police firing case.
