Punjab and Haryana High Court shifts Behbal Kalan firing case from Faridkot to Chandigarh

PTC News Desk: The 2015 Behbal Kalan firing case trial was moved from Faridkot to Chandigarh by the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Friday.

The high court took up the argument of one of the defendants, Charanjit Sharma, a senior superintendent of police in Moga at the time, who had requested in 2019 that the case be transferred due to security concerns.

A week after two protestors were purportedly murdered by police firing at Behbal Kalan following the sacrilege incidents, the lawsuit was filed on October 21, 2015.

Additionally, there was a reported fire incident at Kotkapura that resulted in injuries to demonstrators.

The events came after three instances of sacrilege. The first occurred on June 1, 2015, when it was claimed that a "bir" of the Guru Granth Sahib had been taken from a gurdwara in the Faridkot village of Burj Jawahar Singh Wala. Afterwards, on September 24, 2015, disparaging posters were shown at Bargari and Burj Jawahar Singh Wala. On October 12, 2015, ripped pages of a “bir” were discovered strewn around the Bargari gurdwara.

In addition to Sharma, other defendants in the case include former Inspector General of Police Paramraj Singh Umranangal and Punjab Police Chief Sumedh Singh Saini. On January 15, 2021, the SIT filed chargesheets against Saini and Umranangal.

Attorneys involved in the case announced that Sharma's request to move the trial from Faridkot to Chandigarh had been granted. Additionally, the high court website indicated that the case was "allowed."

A thorough ruling is anticipated.

The Supreme Court moved the trial in three related instances involving the sacrilege of the Guru Granth Sahib at Bargari in 2015 from Faridkot to Chandigarh in February 2023. Gurmeet Ram Rahim, the chief of Dera Sacha Sauda, was identified as the principal conspirator in these cases by the Punjab Police special investigation team (SIT).

The trial is in progress in a Chandigarh court.