’15 police firing: SIT summons former minister Cheema
Inspector general of police (IGP) Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh, an SIT member, confirmed the development.
Cheema is a member of SAD core team and is considered close to former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and party president Sukhbir Singh Badal.
SIT in its probe wants to create the sequence of events as Cheema’s name had surfaced in the Justice (retd) Ranjit Singh Commission report claiming that Cheema was privy to the Akal Takht pardon to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim in a blasphemy row, sources said.
When contacted, Cheema said he will co-operate with SIT as their top leaders (Badal and Sukhbir) have already recorded their statements. “I am not aware why I have been called by the probe team,” he said. As per the report, Himmat Singh, brother of Akal Takht head granthi Giani Gurmukh Singh, in his testimony had said that Cheema read out a letter from the dera head seeking pardon in presence of all the jathedars at the Chandigarh residence of the then chief minister Parkash Singh Badal. Himmat had later retracted his statement against the Badal family, saying state jails minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa pressured him to sign the documents submitted to Justice Ranjit Singh.
EX-TAKHT JATHEDAR LIKELY TO BE NEXT
Former Akal Takht jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh is likely to be summoned by SIT soon, it has been learnt.
He stepped down from his post in October this year, citing health issues, amid a growing clamour by Sikh groups for his removal over the controversial pardon granted by him. “It is the prerogative of SIT to examine anybody who is acquainted with the facts and circumstances of the case,” said Kunwar Vijay Pratap.
