Miffed over summoning 90-yr-old Badal to SIT office, SAD bays for IGP's blood

Opposition SAD Thursday questioned the professional competence and impartiality of IGP Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh and sought his removal from the SIT, probing the 2015 police firings at two places in Faridkot at mobs protesting the state-wide sacrilege incidents.

The SAD questioned IGP Singh's "professional competence" for originally summoning 90-year-old former Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal to join the SIT probe at its Amritsar Circuit House office, saying that the law mandates examination of any male witness above 65 years of age at his residence only.

Though the SIT subsequently amended its November 9 summons with another one on November 12 asking him to report to SIT at the "place of his convenience", it has failed to douse the Akalis' fury.

"In the interest of the people of Punjab having faith in the fairness and credibility of the probe, it is absolutely imperative that Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh be removed from the SIT as its member, said SAD spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema.

Besides former Chief Minister Badal, the five-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) has also summoned his son and former Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal and actor Akshay Kumar.

While the Badal senior has been asked to appear before the SIT on November 16, the junior one has been summoned on November 19. Akshay Kumar has been asked to appear before it on November 21. All three had been originally asked to join the SIT probe at its Amritsar Circuit House office.

In a memorandum submitted to Punjab Chief secretary Thursday, the SAD demanded IGP Singh's removal from the SIT, saying the summonses issued by the police officer was against the mandate of law as section 160 of the CrPC requires that a male above 65 years of age could be examined as a witness at his place of residence and no where else."
Quoting the stipulations of section 160 of the CrPC, SAD spokesperson Cheema said in the memorandum, "This further shows the IGP's indifference to the law."