Hindustan Times (Chandigarh)

SIT debunks police’s self-defence claim, says evidence fabricated

SP BIKRAMJIT’S ROLE UNDER GAZE

- Gagandeep Jassowal

FARIDKOT: In a new twist to Behbal Kalan case, the special investigat­ing team (SIT) has found that the police allegedly “fabricated evidence” to show it fired in self-defence.

The SIT, according to sources, is investigat­ing the role of superinten­dent of police (SP) Bikramjit Singh in fabricatio­n of bullet marks on the escort gypsy of former Moga senior superinten­dent of police (SSP) Charanjit Singh Sharma. It has recovered the .12 bore gun used in stagemanag­ing the firing.

In all, 18 marks of gun pellets were allegedly made up on the escort vehicle after the police action. “The probe team has establishe­d the exact sequence of events,” said sources. The new evidence is being seen as a major breakthrou­gh in the case.

Sources said after the police action at Behbal Kalan, the SSP’S escort gypsy was taken to the The SIT, it is learnt, is investigat­ing the role of SP Bikramjit Singh in fabricatio­n of bullet marks on the escort gypsy of ex-moga SSP Charanjit Singh Sharma.

In all, 18 marks of gun pellets were allegedly made up on the escort vehicle after the police action

The new evidence is being seen as a major breakthrou­gh in the case in which the accused cops claimed they had to shoot in self-defence

house of a lawyer where Bikramjit asked a car dealer to arrange a gun. The dealer sent his manager and private security guard, Charanjit Singh, who handed over his gun to SP. “The guard was sent out of the house and the SP fired to create ‘fake’ bullets marks on the escort gypsy,” they added.

The new facts, which debunk as the protesters had turned violent and opened fire

the police’s self-defence claim, emerged after the SIT investigat­ed the lawyer’s brother Sohail Singh Brar who has been a close confidant of Bikramjit. It recorded the confession­s of three persons, including Brar and Charanjit, under section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CRPC) before the judicial magistrate here in Faridkot on Friday evening. Sharma’s driver Gurnam Singh, who was driving the escort vehicle, has confessed that no shot was fired on his Maruti Gypsy.

On October 14, 2015, Bajakhana station house officer Amarjit Singh recorded the statements of Charanjit Sharma, Bikramjit, inspector Pardeep Singh and other police officials under section 161 of the CRPC in FIR number 129 in which they claimed that the police fired in self-defence after protesters attacked the police party.

SIT SEARCHES FOR AK-47

A search is on for an AK-47 rifle allegedly used by the police in Behbal Kalan. One of the injured, Beant Singh, who is also a witness in the case, claimed that inspector Pardeep Singh, one of the accused, used the rifle to fire at him.

However, Pardeep denied this, saying that the police department had issued him a .9mm pistol.

 ??  ?? Bikramjit Singh
Bikramjit Singh

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