Kotkapura police firing case: Sukhbir Badal moves HC for anticipatory bail

Chandigarh, March 18

Just about two days after a Faridkot court declined relief to Sukhbir Singh Badal, the former deputy chief minister on Saturday moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court for anticipatory bail in the Kotkapura police firing case.

The petition filed against the State of Haryana is yet to come up for hearing.

Additional District and Sessions judge Rajiv Kalra had earlier partly allowed anticipatory bail to former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal on health grounds, but had denied the relief to Sukhbir.

In his order, Judge Kalra had among other things referred to the SIT report in the matter.

Judge Kalra observed the SIT found that the FIRs registered against three sacrilege incidents of June 1, 2015, September 24, 2015 and October 12, 2015, were not properly and professionally investigated with an intent to screen the guilty “dera premis” from possible criminal action owing to clandestine inaction of Sukhbir Singh Badal, the then Home Minister of the State, due to his direct link and personal relationship with Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, Dera head, and “personal aspirations of Sukhbir Singh Badal to garner and secure the votes of Dera followers in the election process”.

The Judge had added: “Having regard to such nature and gravity of offence, which had the potential to put the State into turmoil of sectarian clash, this court does not deem it a fit case to extend the benefit of anticipatory bail.”