Chandigarh, Jul 7 (PTI) Senior BJP leader Vijay Sampla on Tuesday appeared before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the 2015 Behbal Kalan police firing incident, in which two Sikh youths were killed after the Punjab Police opened fire on unarmed protesters demonstrating against the desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib.
The SIT had recently issued fresh summons to former Union minister Sampla, asking him to appear before it on July 6. However, citing prior commitments, he informed the probe team that he would appear on July 7.
The SIT had summoned Sampla under Section 179(1) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), claiming that he was acquainted with the facts and circumstances of the cases under investigation.
Sampla first appeared before the SIT on June 23, following which he was summoned again and has repeatedly sought copies of the documents forming the basis of the inquiry before recording his statement.
After appearing before the SIT, Sampla accused the Punjab government of politically exploiting the sensitive issue to divert public attention from its failures.
Sampla said the Aam Aadmi Party government had promised justice in the Behbal Kalan firing case before coming to power, but after over four-and-a-half years, it had failed to deliver.
He alleged that with elections approaching, the government was once again attempting to revive the issue for political gain by exploiting the emotions of the Sikh community.
Sampla said that the BJP has consistently maintained that every person responsible for the Behbal Kalan incident must be identified through a fair, impartial and transparent investigation and be awarded the strictest punishment in accordance with law.
“This has always been the stand of the Bharatiya Janata Party, and it remains unchanged,” he said.
Referring to his appearance before the SIT, Sampla said this was the fourth summons issued to him. He recalled that he had earlier appeared before the SIT in Jalandhar as well, and then requested certified copies of the relevant documents on which his comments were being sought.
“I have repeatedly requested the SIT to provide certified copies of the documents, indicate the specific record they want me to respond to, and explain my alleged connection with the matter. Without examining the documents, it would be improper and irresponsible to make any comments,” he said.
Sampla pointed out that the document shown to him during the latest questioning was a memorandum submitted to the Punjab governor on January 12, 2018.
He questioned why an SIT inquiry was being initiated over a memorandum that was neither confidential nor secret and had been publicly shared with the media at that time.
He further alleged that despite spending nearly three hours before the SIT on Tuesday, he was only shown the document and was not provided a certified copy despite repeated requests from him and his legal team.
“I even pointed out that in today’s age of artificial intelligence and digital technology, documents can easily be manipulated. Therefore, only a certified copy can be relied upon. Despite this reasonable request, the SIT refused to provide one,” Sampla said.
The former Union minister alleged that the repeated summons appeared to be aimed at prolonging the inquiry until elections and keeping the issue alive for political purposes rather than sincerely pursuing justice.
He also claimed that the renewed focus on the Behbal Kalan case was intended to divert attention from criticism against the Punjab government over recent developments concerning decisions of the Akal Takht and other religious issues.
Sampla maintained that neither he nor the BJP had any direct role in the Behbal Kalan incident, despite the saffron party being in alliance with the then SAD government.
Reiterating his commitment to cooperate fully with the investigation, Sampla said the BJP has nothing to hide.
“We have clearly informed the SIT that we are ready to cooperate fully with every stage of the investigation. We will appear whenever called and extend every possible assistance. However, the investigation must be conducted fairly, transparently and without political vendetta. We only seek certified documents so that we can provide informed and legally sound responses,” he said.
The SIT is probing two cases registered at the Bajakhana police station in Faridkot district in 2015.
An FIR dated October 14, 2015, was registered under various provisions of the IPC, the Arms Act and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, while another FIR dated October 21, 2015, includes charges under Sections 302, 307 and 34 of the IPC along with provisions of the Arms Act.
Incidents related to the theft of a ‘bir’ (copy) of Guru Ganth Sahib from Burj Jawahar Singh Wala gurdwara, putting up handwritten sacrilegious posters in Bargari and Burj Jawahar Singh Wala, and torn pages of the holy book scattered at Bargari, occurred in Bargari, Faridkot, in 2015.
These incidents led to anti-sacrilege protests in Faridkot.
In the police firing on the anti-sacrilege protesters in October 2015, two persons– Gurjeet Singh and Krishan Bhagwan Singh– were killed in Behbal Kalan, while some persons were injured at Kotkapura in Faridkot. PTI SUN KSI KSI
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