Badal didn’t record statement on murder bid: Police to HC

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Badal failed to record his statement with the police even months after an assassination bid on him, the Amritsar police has told the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Filing a reply to a plea filed by the leader seeking a probe by the CBI or the National Investigation Agency (NIA), the police said Badal was approached several times by the investigation officer to record his statement.

The police reply was filed on April 29, weeks after Badal approached the High Court seeking the transfer of the probe to any of the two central investigation agencies.

The incident had taken place on December 4 last year when Badal was undergoing a religious punishment as a sewadar at the entrance of the Golden Temple.

The Akal Takht had held Badal and several Akali leaders guilty for “mistakes” committed by the SAD during its decade-long rule from 2007-17 over issues concerning the community. He was attacked by an alleged Khalistan sympathiser, Narain Singh Chaura. Seeking the transfer of the case, Badal had alleged that the investigation into the attack had been “biased and unfair”.

However, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Central) Jaspal Singh told the court, “The investigating officer had approached Sukhbir Badal eight times and the cops are still striving to record his statement as and when he agrees.”

SAD rejects police claim

Meanwhile, SAD spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema rejected the police claim, saying they never approached Badal for recording his statement.

“The cops wanted to save their skin as the SAD president had approached High Court,” he added.

Punjab