Bajwa wants Batala blast probed by retd HC judge

New Delhi, September 16

Rajya Sabha MP Partap Singh Bajwa today demanded that the September 4 Batala blast inquiry should be entrusted to a retired judge of the High Court with immediate effect.

In a letter to CM Capt Amarinder Singh, the former Gurdaspur MP said the preliminary probe had shown that over a dozen factories were operating illegally in Batala and Qadian, and these were in the knowledge of the district authorities.

He wrote, “The Punjab Government has set up a magisterial inquiry but the same has further been delegated to ADC/SP of Batala. It is obvious that this inquiry won’t be proper considering the ADC can neither investigate nor fix accountability of his seniors — DC or SSP. It is clear that the factories currently running are in connivance with the authorities there,” Bajwa wrote, demanding that a time-bound probe by a retired HC judge be ordered.

“The ex gratia should be raised to Rs 25 lakh to the family of the deceased.” —TNS