SIT files challan against EX-DSP, SHO

SIT SUMMONED THEN KOTKAPURA DSP FOR QUESTIONING BUT HE HAD FAILED TO APPEAR; HE FILED PRE-ARREST BAIL PLEA THAT WAS REJECTED BY COURT

FARIDKOT: A Punjab Police special investigation team (SIT) probing 2015 police firing incidents on Thursday filed a charge-sheet in the FIR registered on October 14, 2015, in connection with the Kotkapura firing incident.

The SIT has named the then Kotkapura DSP Baljit Singh and former Kotkapura SHO Gurdeep Singh Pandher as accused in the charge-sheet, filed in the court of duty magistrate Ekta Uppal.

On June 25, the SIT had arrested Pandher by adding Sections 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servant) and 467 (forgery of valuable security, will, etc) of the IPC in the 2015 FIR registered on Pandher’s complaint, against the protesters. Presently, Pandher is under judicial custody in Bathinda.

The SIT summoned Baljit for questioning on a couple of occasions, but he had failed to appear. Fearing arrest, he moved an anticipatory bail petition in the district and sessions court. This bail plea was dismissed. Later, the court issued his arrest warrant on the SIT’S plea. However, the Punjab and Haryana high court granted interim bail to Baljit on July 27.

Both were also named as an accused in another FIR registered in connection with the Kotkapura firing episode, but were granted bail in this case, registered on August 7, 2018. This case was registered under Sections 307 (attempt to murder); 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 341 (wrongful restraint) of the IPC and the Arms Act against unidentified cops. Later, the SIT added more sections to the FIR.

Sources said the SIT is likely to file a supplementary chargesheet in the Behbal Kalan police firing incident soon.