Punjab to take back sacrilege cases from CBI

The commission was set up by the Amarinder Singh government in April 2017 to investigate sacrilege of the Guru Granth Sahib and religious texts of other faith when the SAD-BJP government was in power in the state.

‘Book dera head Gurmeet Ram Rahim too’

Punjab jails minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa set the tone for the resolution by asking the chief minister to let Punjab Police handle investigations by taking it back from CBI. He said the report has indicted Badal for being in loop on police firing at Kotkapura at Sikh protesters and securing Akal Takht pardon for Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim to facilitate release of his movie. Randhawa also declared to free the SGPC from clutches of Badals.

AAP legislator HS Phoolka demanded attempt to murder case against cops who have been issued a “simple” show cause notice by the Captain government and questioned government’s compulsion to hand over probe of both Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan firing cases to CBI. “You are catching the small fish. What about the crocodiles? You should punish all those involved, including the dera head. History has given you a golden opportunity to punish those who are guilty of sacrilege and killing innocents. It will not forgive you, if you don’t,” Phoolka added amid thumping of desks by ruling benches.

The demand was repeated by minister Navjot Singh Sidhu who went on his knees to seek the cases be taken back from CBI, saying Amarinder had once called him his son.