Over a fortnight after the Punjab Government clear the decks to hand over the probe into three cases related to Faridkot sacrilege incident to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Central Government on Tuesday issued the notification in this regard.
Centre’s Department of Personnel and Training issued the notification dated November 5 transferring to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) investigation of cases in FIR No 63 dated June 2, 2015, FIR No 117 dated September 25, 2015, and FIR No 128 dated October 12, 2015, of Police Station Baza Khana, district Faridkot “in pursuance of Punjab Government notification dated November 9.
The Punjab Police spokesperson said that the CBI has re-registered these FIRs as regular cases (RC) and a team of CBI officers would be visiting Faridkot shortly in connection with the investigation of the above-mentioned cases.
The Punjab Police will provide the required logistical support and offer its co-operation to the CBI in conducting the investigations, the spokesperson added.
CBI will probe into three FIRs — FIR no 63 filed at Jwahar Singh Wala village regarding theft of Guru Granth Sahib, FIR no 117 at Bajakhana village regarding pasting of handbills showing disrespect to Guru Granth Sahib and hurting religious feelings, and FIR no 128 at Bargadi village regarding sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib bir.
Amid pressure by the Sikh protestors seeking release of two brothers arrested in sacrilege incidents, and sharp criticism of the Punjab police for its failure to handle the sensitive matter, the Punjab Government had decided to hand over the probe into three sacrilege incidents at Faridkot to the central premier agency.
The Government’s decision to hand over the probe of all three sacrilege cases of Faridkot to the CBI was taken by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal himself after holding a detailed meeting with the senior Government and police officials including the state Director General of Police Suresh Arora, State Intelligence chief, senior Akali and BJP leaders, including MP Prem Singh Chandumajra, among others.
The decision came after the probe, initiated by the Punjab Police, went “inconclusive” on the involvement of two baptised Sikh brothers who were arrested on October 20, who were later on released.
Police had, on October 21, arrested brothers Rupinder Singh and Jaswinder Singh from Panjgrain Khurd claiming them to be responsible for the incident, citing recorded mobile phone conversations as proof of their involvement. The police had also indicated at the “foreign hand and funding” in the series of sacrilege incidents in the State.
Punjab was facing a storm since October 12 when the first incident of desecration of “bir” copy of Guru Granth Sahib was reported from Bargari village in Faridkot district. As many as 110 pages of Guru Granth Sahib, stolen from the Burj Jawahar Singh Wala village in June, were found torn off outside a Gurdwara.
Following this, the cases of sacrilege continued in other districts coupled with widespread protests across the State. During the protests, two Sikh protesters were killed in police firing on 14 October at Behbal Kalan village near Faridkot, besides many others got injured.
Amid the mounting protests from the Sikh community, criticism by the Opposition parties, and the failure of the Punjab Police to handle the situation, the State Government transferred its high-profile State police chief Sumedh Singh Saini, with his 1982 batch mate Suresh Arora.