Faridkot: A court in Faridkot on Thursday accepted the anticipatory bail application of former Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal but rejected the application of former deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal in connection with the Kotakpura police firing case of 2015. The verdict was issued by the additional district and sessions judge Rajiv Kalda. The two Akali leaders had filed the bail applications last week but the court had deferred its decision till the hearing of the arguments two days back.
This apart, the bail application of former SSP Sukhmandar Singh Mann was also rejected while the court will take up the bail application of former DGP Sumedh Singh Saini on March 20.
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On February 24, 2022, a special investigation team of Punjab police led by ADGP LK Yadav and SSP Bathinda Gulneet Singh Khurana filed a 7,000-page charge sheet in the Faridkot court in connection with the investigation of the Kotakpura firing case. All the accused have now been summoned for March 23.
It may be recalled that in 2015, the sacred parts of Sri Guru Granth Sahib were found scattered in Faridkot. The incident had triggered unrest and Sikhs in Kotakpura held a demonstration demanding an investigation. But on October 14, 2015, the police fired at the agitators who were holding a demonstration in Kotakpura. During which, two persons were killed and many others were injured. Parkash Singh Badal, who was the then CM was blamed for the incident.
