NO ONE STOLE AND DEFILED GURU GRANTH SAHIB!
One line in the closure report into highly politically sensitive cases of sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib dating back to 2015 raises question on its very relevance. The closure report has been filed in the CBI special court in Mohali.
It states: “The Govt of Punjab vide notification dated 06.9.2018 had withdrawn its consent for the investigation of these cases given to the CBI U/s 6 of DSPE Act 1948”.
At that level, despite the technicalities this report should have no meaning so far as two other probes that presently are going on by the Punjab police.
Yet another important aspect is that the CBI did not make any arrest in the three cases that it was probing ever since it was entrusted with the job by the Akali Dal-BJP government in the state.
It may be mentioned in the face of growing Sikh anger, the Punjab government handed over investigation into three FIRs registered in Bajakhana police stations relating to sacrilege to the CBI on November 5, 2015.
The sacrilege narrative dates back to June 1, 2015 when the Bir of Guru Granth Sahib was found missing from a gurdwara in Burj Jawahar Singh Wala and its pages were found scattered on the streets of adjoining Bargari village weeks later on October 12.
The Punjab police bungled at the very first stage.
Here is the main contention in para 16.8 by the CBI, “In view of the above, despite doing all out efforts, covering all aspects in the investigation to detect these cases, so far no clue leading to detection of these cases could be found. No witness of the crime could be found. The cases remained undetected. Involvement of S/Sh Mohinder Pal @Bittu (since expired), Sukhjinder Singh @Sunny and Shakti Singh in the above mentioned cases prima facie could be found in the crime due to want of evidence as discussed in the foregoing paras. Moreover, the Govt of Punjab vide notificated dated 06.9.2018 had withdrawn its consent for the investigation of these cases given to the CBI U/s 6 of DSPE Act 1948”.
Obviously, no one stole or defiled Guru Granth Sahib.
It is pertinent to mention here that the accused probed by the CBI were not arrested by this agency but the SIT of Punjab police headed by Deputy Inspector General of Police Ranbir Singh Khatra. This SIT was constituted by Parkash Singh Badal government but the investigation progressed only after its ouster and arrests made in 2018. According to the Punjab SIT claim, Mohinder Pal Bittu, who was arrested in another case, broke down during interrogation and confessed.
Bittu was recently murdered in Nabha jail by two inmates.
The final decision on the closure report is to be taken by the court but it has already kicked up political storm.
However, the ramifications of this case are far too serious, more than the political storm.
Going by the charge sheet already filed by the other SIT in Faridkot court, this probe that was mainly on cases of police firing at Kotkapura followed by Behbal Kalan is all encompassing.
Should the closure report by an agency from which the probe was withdrawn by the state government hold any relevance to the main probe?
That is the basic issue.
Till then, no one stole Guru Granth Sahib.
One line in the closure report into highly politically sensitive cases of sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib dating back to 2015 raises question on its very relevance. The closure report has been filed in the CBI special court in Mohali.
It states: “The Govt of Punjab vide notification dated 06.9.2018 had withdrawn its consent for the investigation of these cases given to the CBI U/s 6 of DSPE Act 1948”.
At that level, despite the technicalities this report should have no meaning so far as two other probes that presently are going on by the Punjab police.
Yet another important aspect is that the CBI did not make any arrest in the three cases that it was probing ever since it was entrusted with the job by the Akali Dal-BJP government in the state.
It may be mentioned in the face of growing Sikh anger, the Punjab government handed over investigation into three FIRs registered in Bajakhana police stations relating to sacrilege to the CBI on November 5, 2015.
The sacrilege narrative dates back to June 1, 2015 when the Bir of Guru Granth Sahib was found missing from a gurdwara in Burj Jawahar Singh Wala and its pages were found scattered on the streets of adjoining Bargari village weeks later on October 12.
The Punjab police bungled at the very first stage.
Here is the main contention in para 16.8 by the CBI, “In view of the above, despite doing all out efforts, covering all aspects in the investigation to detect these cases, so far no clue leading to detection of these cases could be found. No witness of the crime could be found. The cases remained undetected. Involvement of S/Sh Mohinder Pal @Bittu (since expired), Sukhjinder Singh @Sunny and Shakti Singh in the above mentioned cases prima facie could be found in the crime due to want of evidence as discussed in the foregoing paras. Moreover, the Govt of Punjab vide notificated dated 06.9.2018 had withdrawn its consent for the investigation of these cases given to the CBI U/s 6 of DSPE Act 1948”.
Obviously, no one stole or defiled Guru Granth Sahib.
It is pertinent to mention here that the accused probed by the CBI were not arrested by this agency but the SIT of Punjab police headed by Deputy Inspector General of Police Ranbir Singh Khatra. This SIT was constituted by Parkash Singh Badal government but the investigation progressed only after its ouster and arrests made in 2018. According to the Punjab SIT claim, Mohinder Pal Bittu, who was arrested in another case, broke down during interrogation and confessed.
Bittu was recently murdered in Nabha jail by two inmates.
The final decision on the closure report is to be taken by the court but it has already kicked up political storm.
However, the ramifications of this case are far too serious, more than the political storm.
Going by the charge sheet already filed by the other SIT in Faridkot court, this probe that was mainly on cases of police firing at Kotkapura followed by Behbal Kalan is all encompassing.
Should the closure report by an agency from which the probe was withdrawn by the state government hold any relevance to the main probe?
That is the basic issue.
Till then, no one stole Guru Granth Sahib.
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