Chandigarh, Apr 4 (PTI) The Punjab and Haryana High Court issued a notice to the Punjab government on Friday, seeking its response on Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Sukhbir Singh Badal’s plea for a probe by a central agency like the CBI or the NIA into a “murderous attack” on him at the gate of Golden Temple in Amritsar in December last year.
Badal had escaped unhurt after the attempt on his life on December 4 last year as the attacker, Narain Singh Chaura, was overpowered by security personnel.
The attack on the former Punjab deputy chief minister was captured on camera by mediapersons who had gathered to cover the SAD leader performing the duty of “sewadar” at the main gate of the Sikh shrine as religious penance for “mistakes” committed by the party-led government in the state from 2007 to 2017.
Chaura (68), a former terrorist, shot at Badal at close range but missed the target as he was overpowered.
He was arrested immediately after the incident and booked under relevant penal sections, including for attempt to murder, and under the provisions of the Arms Act.
A court in Amritsar granted bail to Chaura last month.
The high court has asked the state government to file its response to Badal’s plea by April 30.
In his plea, Badal, while seeking that the case be transferred to an independent agency like the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or National Investigation Agency (NIA) “to investigate the matter fairly and impartially”, has alleged that the Punjab Police’s ongoing probe into the case has been “biased, unfair and marred by ulterior motives”.
The SAD leader has contended that “the investigating agency (referring to the police probe) has deliberately attempted to dilute the gravity of the crime by misrepresenting facts in the FIR and final report”.
“The FIR was registered after an inordinate delay on the statement of a person who was not an eyewitness. The petitioner’s own statement was never recorded, demonstrating the intentional misdirection of the investigation.
“CCTV footage and witness statements suggest a deep-rooted conspiracy involving additional individuals, who have not been adequately investigated. The investigating agency appears to be acting under political influence, compromising the fairness of the probe,” Badal has submitted in his plea.
In light of the “evident lapses, bias and political interference in the investigation”, the petitioner has sought the “high court’s intervention to transfer the case to an independent agency, ensuring a fair and just inquiry”. PTI SUN RC
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