Punjab CM hails High Court verdict dismissing appeal by accused in Behbal Kalan firing

The Chief Minister said that the verdict has paved the way for the Government to seek strict punishment against the policeman accused of firing on innocent protestors at Behbal Kalan, added the press release.Lashing out at his opponents, Bhagwant Mann said both Akalis and Congress have connived with each other to save the guilty of this case. He said that while the desecration of Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji and firing on innocent protestors took place during the Akali regime, Congress actively shielded the perpetrators of the crime by ineffectively defending the investigation conducted into the incidents of sacrilege in Kotkapura, as per the statement.

The Chief Minister said that as a result of this the challan presented in the case against political leaders and senior officials was quashed by the High Court. Mann further said that the Akali-Congress nexus that was shielding the accused hitherto has been broken with the AAP Government coming into power.

He said that the verdict was a result of the firm commitment of the AAP Government to bring the guilty to book as the State Government effectively defended the investigation conducted into the Behbal Kalan firing case, whereas Congress had failed to defend the investigation into the Kotkapura desecration incidents.

Pertinently, in a significant judgement, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today dismissed a bunch of petitions filed by the accused policemen in the Behbal Kalan firing case seeking quashing of the challan presented against them in the trial court. Accepting the contention of the Advocate General (AG), the court held that the charges could be framed even on strong suspicion.

The court further directed a Special Investigation Team headed by Inspector General of Police Naunihal Singh, to conduct further investigation and submit their report under Section 173 Cr.P.C before the trial Court. (ANI)