SIT summons former Akali Dal MLA Mantar Brar again
Brar, who earlier recorded his statement on Nov 9, asked to appear today
FARIDKOT : The special investigation team (SIT) probing the 2015 Behbal Kalan and Kotkapura firing cases has summoned Akali leader and former chief parliamentary secretary (CPS) Mantar Singh Brar to appear before it on Wednesday at its camp office in Faridkot, it is learnt.
The development comes after SIT grilled former director general of police (DGP) Sumedh Singh Saini in Chandigarh for nearly two hours on Monday.
It is for the second time that SIT has summoned the former Kotkapura MLA (Brar) for questioning. He earlier recorded his statement on November 9 last year.
As per the Justice Ranjit Singh Commission report, Mantar was in touch with the then chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and then DGP Saini over telephone on the night before the firing. “Brar spoke to Badal on the phone of his special principal secretary Gagandeep Singh Brar,” the report read.
During questioning last time, Brar confessed that Badal had directed the administration to tackle the situation peacefully. Brar also shared purported details of his talks with Badal, Saini and officials of the district administration before the firing incident.
“Badal directed the administration to defuse the situation peacefully. Even I asked the authorities not to use force on anti-sacrilege protesters,” he had said, insisting the then government never ordered firing.
SIT has quizzed Badal, his son and former deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal and former minister Daljit Singh Cheema besides top police officials in the firing incident.
BOX: SP, 5 others quizzed for fabricating bullet marks
SIT on Tuesday quizzed former Fazilka SP Bikramjit Singh, ex-bajakhana SHO subinspector (SI) Amarjit Singh (both accused in the Behbal Kalan case), DSP Harjinder Singh, Charanjit Singh, a private security guard of a car dealer, and the dealership manager, and one Sohail Singh Brar in connection with fabrication of bullets marks on the escort gypsy of ex-moga SSP Charanjit Singh Sharma after the Behbal Kalan incident.
The questioning was done by SIT members, inspector general of police (IGP) Arunpal Singh and Kapurthala senior superintendent of police (SSP) Satinder Singh.
The SIT is probing the role of police officers, especially that of Bikramjit, for allegedly creating bullets marks on the gypsy at the house of Sohail Singh Brar and distorting the evidence.
As per the Ranjit panel report, DSP Harjinder was named by Beant Singh, one of the main witnesses in Behbal Kalan firing incident. Beant told the panel that inspector Pardip Singh on the direction of Charanjit Sharma opened fire and the bullet hit his left thigh while second bullet was fired by DSP Harjinder which hit him at the same place.