New SIT grills EX-DIG Khatra

Then DIG Chahal and SSP Mann questioned too; Umranangal to be quizzed today

CHANDIGARH/FARIDKOT: The Punjab Police’s new special investigation team (SIT) probing the 2015 Kotkapura firing incident quizzed retired deputy inspector general of police (DIG) Ranbir Singh Khatra, then DIG Amar Singh Chahal and then Faridkot senior superintendent of police (SSP) Sukhmandar Singh Mann on Monday.

Led by additional director general of police (vigilance) LK Yadav, the SIT is probing into the policing firing on protesters seeking action into sacrilege incidents, which left two men dead on October 14, 2015.

It was constituted after the

Punjab and Haryana high court on April 9 quashed all reports filed by the previous SIT that was headed by former inspector general of police Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh.

Retired SSP Charanjit Singh and inspector Pritpal Singh also faced the SIT members. After suspended Indian Police Service officer Paramraj Singh Umranangal showed inability to appear before the probing team by sending an application through his lawyer, he was allowed to appear on Tuesday.

A fortnight back, the SIT was in Faridkot to quiz senior police officials who were present on the spot during the firing incident. Former director general of police (DGP) Sumedh Singh Saini, who was grilled for at least four hours last week, has not been called in the current round of questioning. Other top officers who have been questioned include IPS Sahota and Rohit Chaudhary, who is the special director general of police.

Former MLA Brar also summoned

Mantar Singh Brar, former Shiromani Akali Dal legislator from Kotkapura, has also been summoned to appear before the SIT on Tuesday.

With this, Brar will become the first politician to be questioned by the new special investigation team.

The previous SIT had named Brar as an accused in the Kotkapura firing case, and later filed a challan against him under the charges of criminal conspiracy.

The SIT had claimed that Brar exchanged 157 calls with the chief minister’s office, the DGP office and senior police and local administration officials on the night before the firing and directed the local authorities to disperse the protesters by using force.

In the chargesheet, the then legislator was also accused of influencing the local police to not record the statements of complainants in the case.