Two brothers arrested in Bargari sacrilege case only: Police

Punjab Police today dismissed reports that two brothers from Panjgrain Khurd village in Faridkot, had been arrested in any other case, asserting that the duo had been booked only in connection with sacrilege case of holy Guru Granth Sahib.
The arrest of Jaswinder Singh and Rupinder Singh, sons of Darshan Singh of village Panjgaraian Khurd, district Moga has been made in connection with a case related to incident of sacrilege at village Bargari, a Punjab police press release said here today.
It further stated that three cases have been registered with regard to sacrileges in respect of Guru Granth Sahib in villages Burj Jawahar Singh wala and Bargari, district Faridkot.

"A FIR was registered on June 2, 2015 under relevant provisions of the IPC at Police Station Baja Khana with regard to theft of Guru Granth Sahib and hurting religious feelings of people at village Burj Jawahar Singh Wala.
The second FIR was registered on September 25, 2015 at Police Station Baja Khana with regard to pasting of handbills showing disrespect to Guru Granth Sahib and hurting religious feelings of people at village Burj Jawahar Singh Wala.
"The third FIR was registered on October 12 at Baja Khana with regard to sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib and throwing the pious 'Angs' outside Gurudwara Sahib and in the street at village Bargari, which hurt the religious feelings of the people," the release said giving details.

It further said that the arrest of Jaswinder Singh and Rupinder Singh "was made in case FIR dated 12.10.2015 relating to incident of sacrilege at village Bargari in which 'Angs' of Guru Granth Sahib were taken away by them and their associates from dharna site at Kotkapura from Palki Sahib which were recovered later on basis of their telephonic conversations".

The two brothers were arrested only in this case, it said.
"The investigation of other two cases relating to theft and disrespect of Guru Granth Sahib and pasting of handbills at village Burj Jawahar Singh Wala and Bargari is going on separately. They have not been arrested in these two cases," the release clarified.

Notably, a court in Faridkot had sent Rupinder Singh and Jaswinder Singh, to judicial custody till November 11 in sacrilege case of Guru Granth Sahib.
Both of them had refuted the allegations of Punjab police and pleaded their innocence.
The parents and native villagers of the two brothers and members of Sikh community had claimed that the two persons had been framed up in the case.
Punjab was under turmoil for nearly a fortnight after over eight incidents of sacrilege of holy book with Sikh protsters, including hardliners resorting to blocking of road traffic at several places in the state.

Police have so far arrested six people for their alleged involvement in sacrilege of the holy book at different places.