Chandigarh: The Justice Ranjit Singh Commission has reportedly said that former Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal was aware of the happenings hours before the Behbal Kalan firing and had issued “some directions” for handling the situation.
According to media reports, [t]he directions were issued through the then DGP, the commission has recorded on its order. The firing took place between 6 am and 7 am on October 14, 2015.
“Evidence with the commission indicates that the then CM’s office was contacted around the midnight prior to the police action”, notes a report in The Tribune (TT).
Justice Ranjit Singh asserted that evidence had also surfaced that the then local MLA Mantar Singh Brar had spoken to Badal directly or through his secretary Gaggandip Brar. He, in turn, exchanged as many as 21 SMS messages with the Faridkot DC starting from 1.51 am on October 14. Gaggandip Brar also spoke to Faridkot DC during this time, notes TT.
Available information suggests the evidence available on record with the commission has already been brought to the former Chief Minister’s notice for him to respond.
Even details of calls exchanged between his staff and the district administration were also referred to in the notice. Parkash Singh Badal, so far, has declined to furnish information sought from him. He has told the commission that his party has rejected the panel.
Police Firing at Behbal Kalan:
On October 15, 2015 the Punjab police had opened fire Sikh sangat staging a sit-in on a local road leading to Behbal Kalan village on Kotkapura-Bathinda road. Two Sikhs namely Bhai Gurjeet Singh of Sarawan village and Bhai Krishan Bhagwan Singh of Niamiwala village were killed in this firing while several other Sikhs were injured. The Sikh protesters were demanding action against culprits of Beadbi of Guru Granth Sahib at Bargari.
Justice Zora Singh Commission:
The then Punjab government led Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) and BJP government had formed a commission led by Justice Zora Singh to probe the incident. The commission had submitted its report on July 2016 but it failed to find the culprits of Beadbi incident at Bargari or those responsible for police firing at Behbal Kalan village.
Justice Ranjit Singh Commission:
After assuming power in Punjab, the Congress party government led by Capt. Amarinder Singh announced to scrap the report submitted by Justice Zora Singh and announced to form another commission led by Justice Ranjit Singh. The commission was appointed in April 2017 and it was required to submit its report with in six month but the commission is yet to submit its report even after one year.
People’s Commission Led by Justice Markandey Katju:
Various human rights groups of Punjab had formed a ‘people’s commission’ led by former Supreme Court of India (SCI) judge Markandey Katju. Justice Katju commission had held the high-ups in Punjab police as responsible for the police firing at Behbal Kalan. But People’s Commission’s report was neither recognised by the SAD (Badal) government nor by Capt. Amarinder Singh led Congress government.
EYE-WITNESS ACCOUNTS: