HC seeks response from Punjab govt over Sukhbir Singh Badal's plea demanding probe by CBI or NIA
PTC News Desk: The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Friday issued a notice to the Punjab Government and sought a response on the plea filed by Shiromani Akali Dal senior leader Sukhbir Singh Badal seeking transfer of investigation to an independent Central agency in connection with the assassination attempt.
The state has been asked to file its response by April 30.
Senior SAD leader Sukhbir Singh Badal had filed a petition demanding investigation by independent Central agency such as CBI or NIA into attempted assassination attempted at Golden Temple, Amritsar while he was undergoing religious penance. He deemed the ongoing investigation by Punjab police as 'biased, politically motivated and aimed at shielding accused.
Appearing before the court, Badal's counsel asserted that the police had not even recorded Badal's statement in the case so far which indicates state's obliviousness in the investigation. The Punjab Government, however, informed the court that it was prepared to record Badal’s statement the same day.
Badal in his petition cited several grounds for seeking a fresh investigation including registration of FIR after a significant delay that too based on the statements of non-eyewitness. He alleged that the investigating agency had deliberately omitted crucial evidence in its final report, and had failed to obtain necessary sanction under the Arms Act before filing the challan.
The petition further alleged broader conspiracy involving people who had not been investigation rigorously.
- PTC NEWS
