Chandigarh, June 14, 2021 (Yes Punjab News)
Five times Chief Minister of Punjab Sardar Parkash Singh Badal today categorically reiterated his “intent and commitment to fully cooperating with the law” and said that he had ‘complete faith in the judiciary.’ He has, however, asked the SIT “to reschedule the date for his appearance for the investigations as he is not keeping good health and “has been ’advised complete bed rest for ten days by doctors.”
“As soon as my health gets better, I will be available to join the investigation as per law, at my current place of residence. (MLA Flat No 37, Sector 4, Chandigarh.)
Mr Badal hoped that “this SIT, unlike the previous one, would respect the law of the land and conduct a fair investigation, withstanding political interference from the ruling dispensation” which, he said, had been brazenly subverting the law for petty political gains. “
In his two-page response to the summon from the SIT investigating the handling of Kotkapura incidents by the previous government, Mr Badal said that “the entire process of investigations already stands brazenly compromised through blatant and unapologetic political interference and it reeks too strongly of political vendetta to inspire any confidence about a fair process of law being followed.” In spite of this, said Mr Badal, he will “cooperate fully” with the investigative process.
The former Chief Minster pointed out that the very need for the present SIT had “arisen out of the brazen politicization of the case by the previous SIT. In this regard, Mr Badal came down heavily against “one of the members of the previous SIT” for his “openly political conduct” which had allegedly subverted the entire investigative process.
“With a callous and contemptuous disregard for all the established procedures and norms, this officer completely usurped and appropriated to himself the entire functioning and designated role of all the other members of the SIT, including it Chairman , and rendered them totally redundant and they were reportedly not even a part of the investigative process.”
The former CM further referred to reports that said that the findings of the previous SIT had been scripted jointly by half a dozen high profile members of the ruling party.“ These reports, mr Badal pointed out, had never been contradicted.
FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT OF MR BADAL’S COMMUNICATION TO THE CHAIRMAN OF SIT
To,
The Chairman,
Special Investigation Team,
Kotkapura Case,
SAS Nagar, Mohali
Dated: 14 June, 2021
I am in receipt of your summon No. 211/SIT, dated 9.6.2021 under section 160 Cr.P.C. requiring my presence in the investigations of FIR No. 192, Dated 14.10.2015 PS City Kotkapura and FIR No 129, Dated 7.8.2018 PS City Kotkapura on 16. 06.2021 at PSPCL Rest House, Phase 8, SAS Nagar (Mohali)
I was similarly asked to join an identical investigation by the now defunct SIT. The investigations by that SIT were quashed by the Hon’ble Punjab and Haryana High Court.
With regard to my appearance before the new SIT headed by you, I wish to submit as under:
Although the entire process of investigations into the said case stands brazenly compromised through blatant and unapologetic political interference and although it reeks too strongly of political vendetta to inspire any confidence about a fair process of law, yet I have repeatedly and categorically declared my intent and commitment to cooperating fully with the law, as I have complete faith in the judiciary.
Accordingly, I wish to inform you that I will cooperate fully and whole heartedly with the process of investigations by the fresh SIT. I also hope that this SIT, unlike the previous one, would respect the law of the land and conduct a fair investigation, withstanding the political interference from the ruling dispensation which is known to be brazen in subverting the law for their personal political gains.
The present SIT had been set up in the wake of the brazen politicization of the previous SIT. The overtly political conduct of one of its members had allegedly subverted the entire investigative process. With a callous and contemptuous disregard for all the established procedures and norms, the officer completely usurped and appropriated to himself the entire functioning and designated role of all the other members of the SIT, including it Chairman , and rendered them totally redundant.
In the process, all the other members of the SIT were reportedly not even a part of the investigative process. This was an unprecedented subversion of the legality, constitutionality and procedural propriety in the investigative process, turning the whole investigative exercise into an absurd political farce
Predictably, the Honourable High Court quashed the fictional narrative. There were reports, never contradicted, that the SIT findings had been authored jointly by half a dozen high profile members of the ruling party.
The Honourabe High Court made observations which are self speaking, before setting aside the investigation conducted by the previous SIT.
I hardly need emphasize that all through my long career as a servant of the people, I not only have been a law abiding citizen of the country but have always ensured that the law of the land is held in the highest esteem. As such, I am committed to cooperating with investigations underway.
However, my current state of health does not permit me to be available to join the investigation on the date specified by you. I have been advised complete bed rest of ten days by my physician; I am enclosing the Medical Certificate dated 8.6.2021.
As soon as my health gets better, I will be available to join the investigation as per law, at my current place of residence i.e. MLA Flat No 37, Sector 4, Chandigarh. Accordingly, I request you to reschedule the date for my appearance for the investigations.
I will look forward to hearing from you in this regard at the earliest.
(PARKASH SINGH BADAL)
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