AG defends SIT, says files stuck with Central agency

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 29

Describing the CBI’s conduct in the whole affair as “telling”, Advocate General Atul Nanda on Thursday said the investigations into Bargari sacrilege cases could be taken to their logical conclusion only by examining the facts related to the CBI role in the matter instead of misinterpreting the actions of the Punjab Police by way of writing a letter to the CBI highlighting inadequacies of its investigation.

The letter of the Punjab Police, cited by the CBI to seek to stay its own closure report, did not imply any change in the stand of the state government, which was committed to ensuring completion of the probe into the matter, said the AG.

As the CBI was not handing over the files related to the Bargari cases back to the state without the SIT’s hands were tied, said the AG. They simply wanted to inform the agency of various gaps and deficiencies in the probe carried out so far by the CBI and the significant aspects that had been overlooked by the Central agency, added Nanda.

Despite repeated formal requests for return of the case files to the state after its closure, the agency failed to deliver, prompting the state police to react the way they did, said the AG, adding that “clearly, the actions should not to be misinterpreted”.

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