Giving case to CBI govt’s delaying tactic, say parallel jathedars

FARIDKOT: Radical Sarbat Khalsaappointed parallel jathedars on Monday said Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh has followed in the footsteps of the Badals by handing over the Behbal Kalan firing case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) only to delay the probe and shield some officials.

The state government on Monday announced its decision to hand over these cases to the CBI.

Dhian Singh Mand, the officiating parallel jathedar of the Akal Takht who along with others has been protesting at Behbal Kalan for two months, said the then Akali Dal government had handed over three cases of Guru Granth Sahib sacrilege to the CBI in 2015 but the accused (dera followers) were arrested by the Punjab Police’s special investigation team (SIT) in June this year.

Mand said that both the SAD and the Congress are playing a fixed match as their governments failed to provide justice in the matter.

Another parallel jathedar Baljit Singh Daduwal said officers, especially juniors, should not be made scapegoats in the firing episode while the real culprits who gave firing orders need to be brought to the book.

“We never demanded a CBI probe into any case but we welcome the government’s decision to give compensation to the firing victims’ families.

“We have not received a single penny from the radical organization, Sikhs for Justice. We are ready for probe into this,” Daduwal said replying to the SAD’s allegation that the Sikhs for Justice and Pakistan’s ISI are funding the Bargari protest.

CAPT SHIELDING ACCUSED: KHAIRA

Aam Aadmi Party MLA Sukhpal Khaira on Monday accused chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh of shielding the accused by handing over Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan firing case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). He said this would delay the investigation.

He said Amarinder was following in the footsteps of the previous SAD-BJP government by handing over the probe to the CBI. He said despite the SIT having probed the Burj Jawahar Singh Wala desecration of Guru Granth Sahib, the investigation has been stopped so as to save the main culprit. He said the Justice Ranjit Singh panel findings in the desecration incidents and Behbal Kalan firing should be made public.

SAY JUNIOR OFFICERS SHOULD NOT BE MADE SCAPEGOATS AND THE REAL CULPRITS WHO GAVE THE FIRING ORDERS NEED TO BE BROUGHT TO THE BOOK