2015 firing cases: HC grants pre-arrest bail to Sukhbir, ex-DGP Saini, 4 others

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court on Friday granted anticipatory bail to former deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, former DGP Sumedh Singh Saini and four others in connection with the 2015 Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan firing incidents in Punjab.
The HC was of the view that in the present case, the magnitude of the crime was undoubtedly massive; still, the evidence collected against the petitioners is based on presumptions that the petitioners were involved in the conspiracy, and evidence prima facie lacks evidence qua motive.
"It is not the case of the special investigation team (SIT) that any accused was spearheading any campaign to hurt religious feelings...," the HC held while granting relief to Sukhbir along with former DGP Sumedh Singh Saini, IG Paramraj Singh Umranangal, the then DIG Amar Singh Chahal, and the then SSPs Sukhminder Singh Mann and Charanjit Sharma. Justice Anoop Chitkara passed this order while allowing the plea filed by Sukhbir Badal and others.