Behbal Kalan firing case: SIT to question former BJP chief Vijay Sampla, others | Chandigarh News
CHANDIGARH: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the 2015 Behbal Kalan firing cases on Saturday summoned former Punjab BJP president and former national commission for scheduled castes chairman Vijay Sampla, retired IAS officer Gagandeep Singh Brar and former Faridkot deputy commissioner Malwinder Singh Jaggi for questioning.The summon comes amid BJP chief Nitin Nabin’s three-day tour of Punjab.The trio has been directed to appear before the SIT at the GOs Mess, PAP Complex, Jalandhar, at 11am on Monday. The notice, issued under Section 179(1) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, stated that they appeared to be acquainted with the facts and circumstances of the case and were being called for examination and recording of statements.Sampla, who was served the notice at his Phagwara residence on Saturday night, said he would be unable to appear on Monday because of BJP national president Nitin Nabin’s ongoing Punjab visit and sought another date. In his written response on the acknowledgement copy of the notice, he stated: “After June 22, whichever time you schedule, I will appear.”Before receiving the notice, Sampla told TOI: “I have nothing to do with Behbal Kalan. There is not even the remotest link. Some reports are suggesting that I have been summoned in connection with a letter to the governor, which is not in my knowledge. I don’t know why my name is coming up. I will go if SIT summons me.”A senior police officer said Sampla was likely to be questioned in connection with a memorandum submitted to the then Punjab governor by him and SAD functionaries when he was Punjab BJP chief.The memorandum had alleged a “deeprooted conspiracy” behind the sacrilege incidents and was later referred to by the Justice Ranjit Singh Commission of Inquiry, constituted by the previous Capt Amarinder Singhled Congress govt.Jaggi said he was in Shimla with his family and had not received any notice. “Maybe someone visited my place and, finding me absent, went away. I cannot comment on this,” he said. Brar neither confirmed nor denied receiving the summons.At the time of the Behbal Kalan firing, Brar was the special principal secretary to then chief minister Parkash Singh Badal.The latest move by the SIT comes days after it recorded the statement of former Akal Takht jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh in connection with the probe into the Behbal Kalan firing cases, in which two anti-sacrilege protesters were killed in police firing in October 2015.
