Patiala: Punjab govt has formed a three-member special investigation team (SIT) to probe allegations of rape against former Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) member Amarjit Singh Chawla.Faridkot SSP Gurbans Singh Bains will head the SIT, which includes vigilance SSP Simranjit Singh Lang and DSP Karan Singh Sandhu, an official confirmed. The move follows chief minister Bhagwant Mann’s assurance of a swift, impartial and transparent probe.The SIT will examine the circumstances surrounding the complainant’s arrival from Bahrain and her prolonged stay at an SGPC-run sarai in Sri Anandpur Sahib, including who facilitated and authorised her stay and whether internal records or protocols were breached.Police have so far recorded statements of more than seven people and obtained records. Those questioned include Kesgarh Sahib sarais, an official driver and others linked to visitor entries, transport and management of the sarai.DSP Jashandeep Singh Mann said investigators were cross-checking visitor registers, CCTV footage and witness statements to establish the sequence of events.An FIR was registered at Sri Anandpur Sahib police station on Aug 21 under BNS Sections 64, 127(2) and 351(2), pertaining to rape, wrongful confinement and criminal intimidation. The NRI complainant alleged she was wrongfully confined and repeatedly sexually assaulted between Feb and Aug at the shrine’s guest accommodation.Chawla has denied the allegations, calling them a “politically motivated conspiracy” and “fabricated”. He resigned from his SGPC and SAD posts on Sept 16 to contest the allegations legally. Akal Takht subsequently took disciplinary action against him.An SGPC fact-finding committee had flagged procedural lapses and alleged tampering with sarai attendance registers. State govt representatives said the law would take its course without bias.
