EX-SSP Charanjit named as accused Order on Mantar Brar’s bail plea today
JALANDHAR :The special investigation team (SIT) probing the 2015 firing incidents on anti-sacrilege protesters has named former Moga senior superintendent of police (SSP) Charanjit Singh Sharma as accused in the Kotkapura firing case on Tuesday. Charanjit was arrested by the SIT on January 27 in the Behbal Kalan firing case when he was planning to flee the country.
A Faridkot court has issued a production warrant against Charanjit and fixed the next date of hearing on March 25, accepting the SIT plea to interrogate the former SSP in the Kotkapura case.
SIT member inspector general of police (IGP) Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh confirmed that Charanjit has named as accused in the Kotkapura firing case.
The SIT probe found that IGP Paramraj Singh Umranangal, who was suspended after being arrested in the Kotkapura firing case, called Charanjit to Kotkapura. Charanjit and additional deputy commissioner of police Paramjit Singh, along with cops from Ludhiana, proceeded to Behbal Kalan after the Kotkapura firing incident on the directions of Umranangal in which two Sikh men Krishan Bhagwan Singh and Gurjit Singh were killed, the SIT probe found.
Currently lodged in the Patiala jail, Charanjit also moved the high court for a regular bail after his plea was dismissed by the Faridkot district and sessions court. The SIT pleaded that Charanjit may influence witnesses as prone has found his role in the police firing and distortion of evidence.
On March 8, the HC recalled its order on Charanjit’s plea seeking 7-day prior notice in cases related to sacrilege and police firing.
Meanwhile, the SIT recorded statements of two cops of the Kotkapura police station before the Faridkot judicial magistrate on Tuesday. The statement recorded under Section 164 of the CRPC is part of the SIT’S bid to make its case stronger in the proceedings going in the Faridkot court. JALANDHAR:THE Faridkot district and sessions court on Tuesday reserved the order on the anticipatory bail plea of former Shiromani Akali Dal MLA Mantar Singh Brar for a day. The court will take up the matter on Wednesday. Brar was named as an accused in the FIR registered in connection with the Kotkapura firing incident by the special investigation team on March 6.
District attorney Rajnish Goyal appeared for the SIT and argued that “Brar is a criminal conspirator in the case who was influencing the district administration officials with a motive to secure the Dera Sacha Sauda votes”.
“We require the custodial interrogation of the accused as he may influence the witnesses,” he said, adding, “Brar was also involved in distortion of evidence.” The SIT said it has traced various medico-legal reports which have not been taken on record, while several injured persons were not given treatment at Brar’s instance.
The SIT is also probing the contents of 157 calls Brar allegedly exchanged with the CMO and DGP office, some ministers and local administration officials on the night before the firing took place.
“Brar called up Kotkapura City SHO at 4.40am and 6.67am before and after the Kotkapura firing incident and also contacted Bajakhana (which didn’t fall under his constituency) SHO at 11:16am and 12:11pm. He failed to tell the purpose of the calls,” the SIT said.