Kotkapura firing: SIT to meet Badal on June 22

THE EX-CM HAD WRITTEN TO THE PANEL EXPRESSING HIS INABILITY TO APPEAR BEFORE IT ON JUNE 16 ON HEALTH GROUNDS

CHANDIGARH: A special investigation team (SIT) probing the police firing cases of 2015 has decided to question former Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal at his residence in the MLA flats, Chandigarh, on June 22.

In a communication sent to the Shiromani Akali Dal patriarch on Tuesday, the SIT said: “You are hereby called upon to remain present along with the record if any… on June 22 at 10:30 when the SIT, keeping in view your age, health (bed rest for 10 days from June 8) and prevailing pandemic situation, visits your current place of residence for the purpose of investigation of the above case.”

Earlier, the SIT had summoned Badal to appear before it on June 16 at a rest house in Mohali. However, on Monday, he had written to the panel, expressing his inability to meet it on June 16 on health grounds and sought a new date for appearance. He also offered to join investigations at his current residence in Chandigarh.

Since its constitution last month after the Punjab and Haryana high court quashed the report of a previous SIT, the new probe panel led by additional director general of police LK Yadav has held three rounds of questioning of police officers and politicians in the politically sensitive cases of police firing.

Ashu asks Badal not to make lame excuses

Food and civil supplies minister Bharat Bhutan Ashu on Tuesday asked Badal why he was not appearing before the SIT probing the Kotakpura firing incident and making lame excuses.

In a statement, the minister said the manner in which Badal had talked to BSP supremo Mayawati for congratulating her on the day of forging the alliance reflected that he was totally fit and fine.