Why plea not filed against blanket bail to ex-DGP Saini: Sidhu’s poser to Punjab govt

Chandigarh, November 26

Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu once again on Friday questioned his party’s government in the state, asking why it has not filed in the apex court a plea against the blanket bail to former DGP Sumedh Singh Saini.

He also took a swipe at his predecessor Sunil Jakhar, saying he also did not raise the issue, prompting the former Punjab Congress chief to reply in a sarcastic tweet.

Saini is an accused in a case involving alleged police firing on people protesting the desecration of a religious text in Punjab’s Faridkot in 2015.

Speaking to reporters in Amritsar, Sidhu questioned the government over the steps taken for justice in desecration cases and making the STF report on drug issue public.

“I keep giving reminders on a regular basis. What is my interest. Yesterday, I said this from stage (in Moga). The earlier president keeps tweeting but did he ever raise these issues,” Sidhu asked taking a swipe at Jakhar.

Jakhar responded with a couplet, which means the “idol” is calling him an “infidel”.

Sidhu said the Punjab and Haryana High Court had directed that the probe into the Kotkapura police firing incident should be completed, preferably within six months, which have passed.

Why a special leave petition has not been filed against the blanket bail given to Saini, one of the accused in the police firing incidents, he asked.

“If that accused has got a blanket bail then how will the investigation complete,” he questioned.

“Everyone including me asks what is the government’s intent. If Saini got a blanket bail, did you file a SLP. On September 10, he got a blanket bail, was the SLP filed against it,” he asked questioning his party’s government.

On the special task force report on drugs, he asked the state government who stopped it from making it public.

He asserted that he appreciated when any good work is done by the state government.

Replying to a question, Sidhu said there was good coordination between the party unit and the state government, though he added he will keep raising public issues.

Sidhu said he had talked about reduction in power, fuel and sand prices, which have now been lowered.

The High Court in April had quashed the probe by a Punjab Police SIT into the 2015 Kotkapura firing incident.

The court had quashed the probe by the SIT headed by the then IPS officer Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh. He later took premature retirement.

Following the order, a new special investigation team was formed on May 7 this year.

The new SIT was led by Additional Director General of Police LK Yadav.                  

The state had witnessed incidents related to the desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib and subsequent police firing on people protesting over the issue in Faridkot in 2015.

One incident of police firing had taken place at Kotkapura and second one at Behbal Kalan in Faridkot.  —PTI

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