Khanna by-poll row: HC asks SSP to detail investigation, polling staff statements

Just about four months after a petition was filed alleging that the Aam Aadmi Party government illegally stopped the counting process of a by-election to the Khanna Municipal Council by destroying the EVM, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has asked the Senior Superintendent of Police concerned to file his affidavit.

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The officer has been directed to detail the progress made in the investigation, identify the officials deployed on polling duty at the time of the incident, and specify whether their statements had been recorded as a part of the probe process.

The direction by Justice Harpreet Singh Brar came on a petition filed against the Central Bureau of Investigation and other respondents by Satnam Singh through counsel Nikhil Ghai and Akhil Godara. Among other things, the petitioner had alleged that the EVM was destroyed when the party’s own candidate lost previous round of counting.

As the matter came up for resumed hearing, a short reply by Deputy Superintendent of Police Karamvir Singh – in compliance of court order dated February 3 – was placed before Justice Brar’s Bench. Taking the same on record, the court observed that the affidavit was “sketchy” and it did not controvert the specific averments made in the petition.

Referring to one of the paragraphs, Justice Brar observed it was indicated that investigation was set into motion that after the FIR registration. It was during the probe found that voting machine and CCTV camera had been damaged and removed.

“In view of the same, the Senior Superintendent of Police, Khanna, is directed to file his affidavit indicating the steps taken in the investigation so far and to provide the information with regard to the officials, who were on polling duty at the time of incident and also, whether their statements have been recorded till date or not,” Justice Brar observed. The case will now come up for further hearing on July 18.