Behbal Kalan Firing: IG Umranangal moves plea wants charges dropped
He told the court that as the state government had not sanctioned his prosecution, the proceedings against him should be dropped. The court has asked the prosecution to file a response before the next hearing,which is February 13.
Inspector general of police Paramraj Singh Umranangal moved the court of additional district and sessions judge, Faridkot, on Monday, seeking that the proceedings against him be dropped on grounds of “want of sanction” in the 2015 Behbal Kalan firing case.
He told the court that as the state government had not sanctioned his prosecution, the proceedings against him should be dropped. The court has asked the prosecution to file a response before the next hearing,which is February 13.
The co-accused in the case, former Moga senior superintendent of police (SSP) Charanjit Singh Sharma and former Faridkot SSP Sukhminder Singh Mann, had earlier moved similar applications in court .
Additional sessions judge Rajiv Kalra pulled up the prosecution for delay in filing a response to the applications filed by the accused and the victim’s kin. “Though the parties were cautioned on the previous date to prepare their arguments for the purpose of charge and interim applications moved by the official accused for dropping the proceedings, an adjournment is still being sought by special public prosecutor without assigning any appropriate reason for demanding the unnecessary adjournment. This is made clear here again to both parties that no unnecessary adjournment at the whims of a party will be given. In the interest of justice, case is adjourned to February 13 for arguments,” he said.
The prosecution had sought more time to file a response to allegations levelled by the father of a victim against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislator and former inspector general of police (IGP) Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh, who is also an ex-SIT member, for consenting to granting pardon to a prime accused, and to the applications of the accused, seeking dropping of charges.
Mahinder Singh, the father of Krishan Bhagwan Singh, who was killed in the police firing at Behbal Kalan on October 14, 2015, had filed an application in the court for recalling the order with regard to tender of pardon to the prime accused, inspector Pardeep Singh.
