Former Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, along with other accused in the Kotkapura firing case and other sacrilege-related cases, appeared in a Chandigarh court today.
The court witnessed heavy security during the hearing, with a large number of policemen deployed outside the premises.
During the last hearing on August 10, the Punjab Police, through the public prosecutor, submitted a status report in a sealed cover regarding the pending investigation into the Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan firing cases.
The trials in the sacrilege-related cases registered at Kotkapura, including those pertaining to firing and damage to property, were transferred to the Sessions Court in Chandigarh on the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in April.
The Kotkapura firing incident occurred on October 14, 2015, following sacrilege incidents at gurdwaras in Bargari and Burj Jawahar Singh Wala villages in June and September that year. The police reportedly opened fire on protesters demonstrating against the sacrilege incidents.
While the simultaneous firing at Behbal Kalan resulted in the deaths of two persons, the Kotkapura incident left several others injured.
Several senior police officers, including former DGP Sumedh Singh Saini, Paramraj Singh Umranangal, Charanjit Singh Sharma, Amar Singh Chahal and Sukhminder Singh Mann, are accused in the case.
Sukhbir Singh Badal is also an accused in the Kotkapura firing case.
As the hearing began, the counsel for the accused requested the court to direct the prosecution to clarify the status of the pending investigation in the cases. They said there was considerable confusion over the investigation being conducted by the Punjab Police.
The court directed the prosecution to clarify the status of the pending investigation in all the cases on the next date of hearing.