Ranjit Singh report challenged in HC

Saurabh Malik

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 12

Weeks after Justice Ranjit Singh (retd) Commission’s report on incidents of sacrilege in Punjab was placed before the Vidhan Sabha, former SSP Charanjit Singh and two other police officers on Wednesday moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The petitioners have submitted that the Commission, in its report date June 30, had indicted them. The Commission held that the police firing (in Faridkot district in October 2015) was unprovoked and uncalled-for.

“It is submitted that the report of the Commission not only suffers from violation of the provisions of the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1952, but is also against the evidence on record,” the petitioners added.

The petitioners, through counsel SPS Sidhu and Amandeep Singh Talwar, stated that after the 2017 Assembly elections and the change of guard in the state, the earlier inquiry officer was removed without assigning any reason. He was replaced by Justice Ranjit Singh (retd), who was appointed through a notification dated April 14, 2017.

The petition has been placed before the Bench of Justice Rakesh Kumar Jain of the High Court and will come up for a preliminary hearing on Thursday morning.

The Commission had submitted its report nearly three years after two persons were killed in firing following anti-sacrilege protests in Behbal Kalan (Faridkot). Recommending the registration of criminal cases against police officers accused of firing or directing others to open fire, Justice Ranjit Singh had stated that the cops acted without warning and permission.