Govt gives sanction to prosecute Saini
Ex-DGP moved the HC seeking quashing of a chargesheet filed by Punjab Police in the Behbal Kalan case. The matter is to be heard today
FARIDKOT: The Punjab home department has given a sanction to the special investigation team (SIT) probing 2015 police firing cases to prosecute former director general of police Sumedh Singh Saini in connection with Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan police firing cases.
People privy to the development said the SIT had submitted a request for sanction before the home department of Punjab government after filling chargesheets against Saini in Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan firing cases. The home department sanctioned prosecution under Section 197 (prosecution of public servants) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
On September 10, 2020, Punjab Police special investigation team (SIT) had told a Faridkot court that then DGP Saini and suspended inspector general of police Paramraj Singh Umranangal were the main conspirators in the Behbal Kalan firing incident. The chargesheet against Saini and Umranangal was filed on January 15 this case. On January 18, the SIT filled a chargesheet against Saini in Kotkapura firing case.
Saini has moved the Punjab and Haryana high court seeking quashing of a chargesheet filed by Punjab Police in Behbal Kalan firing case. The matter will be put up for hearing on February 1. The SIT had claimed in the previous chargesheets that when the firing incidents at Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan took place on October 14, 2015, at least 22 phone calls were exchanged between Saini and Umranangal.
The SIT claimed that its investigation had found that Umranangal was in constant touch with Saini and after getting directions from him, he told the then SSP Charanjit Sharma and others to use force. According to the chargesheet, the police action on protesters was the result of a conspiracy hatched by politicians and senior police officials.