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Why CBI should not probe Bhadaur
Gurudwara clash?
WSN Network
Chandigarh: The
Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the Punjab government to
file a reply as to why it has been avoiding to hand over the
investigation of the Bhadaur Gurudwara clash to the Central Bureau
of Investigation (CBI).
During the
resumed hearing of the case, Justice H S Bhalla said: “If the Punjab
government believes that K Asthana, Senior Superintendent of Police
(SSP) of Patiala, is clean and the investigation had been fair, then
why is it shirking to hand over the investigation to the CBI.”
The gurdwara
clash took place in October 2006, in which one Ruban Masih died. His
relatives alleged S K Asthana, SSP Patiala, for beating him to
death.
Asthana was
posted as the Barnala SSP at the time of the incidence.
While the first
report of the DSP had blamed Asthana for Masih’s death, subsequent
reports by a special investigation team of the Punjab Police had
exonerated Asthana of all charges.
The relatives of
the deceased had moved the High Court demanding a CBI inquiry into
the case.
Clarifying the
stand of the government, the
Punjab law
officer submitted that if the case were handed over to the CBI then
many litigants would start approaching the court for the same.
The law officer
added that the petitioners had been concealing material facts from
the court and had filed a number of petitions demanding the same
course of action.
Terming the
death of Masih as a fallout of the mob clash, the law officer said
that Asthana had no hand in his death.
Navkiran Singh,
counsel for the petitioners, however, contended that the government
was trying to shield Asthana as he was a “blue-eyed” officer.
He submitted
that the police investigations did not reach any conclusion. The
case has been adjourned for July 15.
16
July, 2008
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