Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Badal, former DGP Sumedh Saini, and others receive anticipatory bail in the Kotkapura Firing Case

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana High Court has granted anticipatory bail to Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Badal, along with former Director General of Police (DGP) Sumedh Saini and other key individuals in connection to the Kotkapura Firing Case. The High Court's decision came after a month of deliberation, and it extends anticipatory bail to several notable figures, imposing specific conditions.

Justice Anoop Chitkara, overseeing the case, emphasized that the petitioners must refrain from any direct or indirect influence on witnesses, police officers, or any individuals associated with the case. The petitioners approached the court subsequent to the final investigation report being filed by the police under Section 173 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), following a notice issued by the Judicial Magistrate (First Class), Faridkot.

The Kotkapura firing case involves multiple challans, with the Special Investigation Team (SIT) presenting substantial evidence. The SIT, led by ADGP LK Yadav and SIG Rakesh Aggarwal, submitted a detailed challan comprising seven thousand pages on February 24, 2023. Subsequently, another challan of 2400 pages was submitted on April 25, 2023, at the Faridkot Court. The case is registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Arms Act at the Police Station City Kotakpura.

The SIT, in its investigation, has apprehended several prominent individuals, including former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Sukhbir Singh Badal, Sumedh Singh Saini, Paramraj Umranangal, Charanjit Sharma, Sukhmander Mann, Amar Singh Chahal, and Gurdeep Singh. The key accused in the case are identified as the former DGP Sumedh Singh Saini and former Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab Sukhbir Singh Badal, alleged to be the masterminds behind the incident. Parkash Singh Badal is accused of aiding in executing the conspiracy, while Umranangal, Chahal, and Sharma are also implicated in orchestrating the conspiracy.