Single-judge order on Ranjit panel report challenged

CHANDIGARH : The Punjab and Haryana high court single-judge order dismissing pleas against justice Ranjit Singh (retd) panel report has been challenged before a division bench.

The plea was moved by former Moga SSP Charanjit Singh Sharma, who has been arrested by Punjab Police special investigation team (SIT) and then Bajakhana station house officer (SHO) Amarjit Singh Kalar, both named in the 2015 Behbal Kalan firing incident in two anti-sacrilege protesters were killed.

It is learnt that since the registry of the high court raised certain objections on the petition, the plea moved on Wednesday would be re-filed on Thursday. The state government has already moved a plea before the high court demanding that it be heard before passing any interim orders.

On January 25, the high court single-judge bench had dismissed pleas against the Ranjit panel report and demand of a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the FIRS registered for firing incidents at Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan in Faridkot district in October 2015.

The high court bench of justice Rajan Gupta had said that recommendations of the panel constituted under Commission of Inquiry Act, 1952, were recommendatory in nature and inadmissible in the court of the law as evidence. On rejecting demand of a CBI probe, the court had said that cases are inextricably linked and thus there was no need for the court to interfere in the government decision of handing over probe of all FIRS to an SIT of state government.

It is learnt that the challenge has been laid on the ground that proceedings of panel were vitiated as the officers did not get opportunity of hearing before they were commented upon. They have argued that mandatory provisions in the law with regard to putting across the material the commission got against a person, was not followed. NABHA: A couple and their 8-yearold son were killed when a motorcycle they were riding was hit by a speeding a car near Kaidupur village on Wednesday evening.

Gurdeep Singh, 31, his wife Baby, 30, and their son Jashan, of Bimbri village in Sangrur, were returning from a relative’s house at Majri village in Nabha when the accident took place.

Eyewitnesses said the car driver, who was drunk, hit the bike causing death of the husband and wife on the spot. Their son died on the way to the civil hospital. Investigating officer Sarabjit Singh said the accused, identified as Jangir Singh of a Fatehgarh Sahib village, has been taken into police custody. He has been booked.