Faridkot, February 4, 2025: A local court has resumed proceedings on framing charges against former Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, ex-DGP Sumedh Saini, and several police officials in connection with the 2015 Kotkapura firing case. The hearing, which resumed after an eight-month gap, was presided over by Additional District and Sessions Judge Dinesh Kumar Wadhwa, who scheduled the next session for February 24.
Background of the Case
The Kotkapura firing incident occurred in October 2015, when police opened fire on protesters demonstrating against the alleged desecration of a religious text at two gurdwaras in Bargari and Burj Jawahar Singh Wala. The firing happened just hours after another police action in Behbal Kalan, where two protesters lost their lives.
Sukhbir Badal, who was Punjab’s Deputy CM at the time, along with Sumedh Saini and other officials, was booked under Section 307 of the IPC (attempt to murder) and other charges.
SIT Findings and Transfer of Cases
A Special Investigation Team (SIT), in September 2023, named Sukhbir Badal and former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal as accused, alleging that they directed the police to use force against the protesters.
While both the Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan cases were being heard in Faridkot courts, the Punjab and Haryana High Court ordered the Behbal Kalan case’s transfer to Chandigarh in July 2024. This move followed a petition by former SSP Charanjit Sharma, who cited security concerns and sought the transfer of both cases.
In August 2022, the High Court ruled that both cases should proceed simultaneously, but without explicit instructions on shifting the Kotkapura case. As a result, the Faridkot court ruled last week that proceedings could not remain stalled any longer, leading to the hearing’s resumption on Monday.
With the next hearing scheduled for February 24, the legal battle over one of Punjab’s most controversial police actions continues to unfold.