CM reviews progress of SIT probe in sacrilege cases

CHANDIGARH: Amid growing concern within the ruling party over the delay in taking action in sacrilege cases and subsequent police firing at Behbal Kalan and Kotkapura, CM Capt Amarinder Singh today reviewed the progress of the Special Investigation Team (SIT).

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 9

Amid growing concern within the ruling party over the delay in taking action in sacrilege cases and subsequent police firing at Behbal Kalan and Kotkapura, CM Capt Amarinder Singh today reviewed the progress of the Special Investigation Team (SIT).

He also discussed with the Advocate General and Additional Chief Secretary (Home) the status of case regarding interim stay granted by the Punjab and Haryana High Court to five policemen, whose names figured in the Justice Ranjit Singh Commission report. The state’s plea for vacation of the stay is coming up for hearing tomorrow.

It is learnt the party’s top brass has drawn up plans to come out with some action before November so that people’s faith in the Congress was restored. The party wants to use the issue to its advantage in the Lok Sabha polls.

A senior government functionary said the presence of hardcore radicals among the gathering at Bargari on October 7 is an area of concern for intelligence agencies. The October 14 gathering to be held at Bargari and Panthic assembly on October 20 and 21 is being closely watched.

The CM and the police officers discussed the scheduled gathering of the Panthic leaders on October 14, called to observe the third anniversary of those killed in police firing at Behbal Kalan. “The Congress wants to oust Badals from the SGPC, but not allow the radicals to take over,” said a senior leader.

Earlier in the day, Cabinet Minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa and Faridkot MLA Kushaldeep Dhillon are learnt to have met the CM seeking timely action against those whose complicity have figured in the Ranjit Singh report. Though both termed the meeting as a courtesy call, it is learnt that they have sought taking the sacrilege cases and subsequent police firing to its logical conclusion. More leaders are expected to meet the CM in the coming days over the issue.