Chandigarh: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Friday did not appear before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the 2015 Behbal Kalal police firing, citing his medical appointment for the injury he sustained in the Aug 13 kirpan attack at a gurdwara in Nanded, Maharashtra.Badal requested exemption till Sept 30 as he was busy in “party rallies and outreach programmes“ and asked for a written questionnaire, SAD functionary Parambans Singh Bunty Romana and SAD chief spokesperson advocate Arshdeep Singh Kler told the media after handing over the written request to the SIT at Punjab Police Officers Institute in Chandigarh, where Badal was scheduled to appear. Romana said Badal had also sent the request on email and WhatsApp. The SIT was yet to respond to it.Hitting out at the governing AAP, Romana alleged “a fake political narrative was spread during the day that the SIT would confront Badal with the accused in the sacrilege cases”. He claimed that the “final investigation report related to sacrilege case released by Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann in 2022 mentioned that there was no direct political link or involvement of SAD or BJP leadership”.Romana accused the SITs of being politically biased and alleged “the govt wakes up when the elections approach or gets cornered on some issues“, referring to “four challans presented in the Behbal Kalan firing incident. “In the last 10 years, both govts, Congress and the AAP govt, followed the same pattern to divert attention What has been the result after 11 years, several SITs and three chief ministers having served since?”Romana also dismissed claims of Badal not cooperating with the SIT during his July 20 appearance. “On July 22, a request was made for a written questionnaire. We suggested Badal would respond in writing along with his signature to the questionnaire,“ Romana said.Kler called it a “political investigation” and questioned the timing of the SIT summons“. The SAD chief was being called when the govt found itself cornered due to corruption allegations, alleged torture of anti-drug activist Mohanjit Singh and the death by suicide of farmer Gulzar Singh,” Kler alleged.
