Joint party front demands arrest of Jagir Kaur

Joint party front demands arrest of Jagir Kaur
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Chandigarh, Oct 9: A nine-party joint front, including Sarv Hind Shiromani Akali Dal (SHSAD) and Akali Dal (Panthic), today demanded immediate arrest of SGPC chief Bibi Jagir Kaur in the wake of registration of a case against her by the CBI in connection with the "mysterious death" of her daughter.

SHSAD General Secretary Prem Singh Chandumajra said here that a meeting of these parties "unanimously" demanded that Bibi should be arrested as she figures in the list of seven persons against whom the CBI had registered a case under various sections of IPC, a statement quoting him said.

The parties of joint front demanding her arrest include BKU (Rajewal), BKU (Mann), SJP, JD (S), CPI(M), SHSAD and Akali Dal (Panthic).

These parties also demanded Punjab Chief Minister and Akali Dal Chief Parkash Singh Badal should also be included in the list of accused as he was allegedly involved in the destruction of evidence by attending the cremation of Harpreet Kaur.

Meanwhile, Badal has denied he was a party "to destruction of any evidence or any other offence" in the case relating to the death of Harpreet Kaur.

Badal, in his first comment after the arrest of five persons in connection with the case, said in a two-page statement that his presence at the cremation of Harpreet Kaur "was with the sole objective of discharging a routine social engagement, nothing more and nothing less".

The statement said "the routine presence of the Chief Minister in a social function can in no way be deemed as an interference in the process of law and administration of justice".

At the time of cremation "no element of doubt had arisen either in the press or otherwise which was in his knowledge", it added.

It described as "politically motivated and baseless" the allegations "dragging" the name of Badal into the controversy.

"There is not even an iota of truth in the irresponsible, unsubstantiated and mischievous allegations that the Chief Minister was in any way whatsoever a party to destruction of any evidence or any other offence", the statement said and blamed leaders of various parties, including Congress and SHSAD, for "dragging" his name.

Badal said investigation was being carried out by the CBI in accordance with the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The statement said "the Punjab Chief Minister has the highest regard for the principle or the rule of law and, therefore, does not wish to make any comment whatsoever on the merits of the case" adding law will take its own course. "May it be to punish the guilty or to exonerate the innocent."

Badal said following media reports Kapurthala senior superintendent of police had directed two senior police officers on April 24, three days after the death, to hold inquest proceedings. DGP, on his part, asked SSP to get the inquiry conducted by and officers of the rank of SP.

The Chief Minister, taking cognizance of press reports, had directed the DGP to depute "a very senior police officer" to investigate into the matter. In compliance of these orders IGP (crime) K K Attri was deputed to inquire into the issue by heading a special investigating team, the statement said.

Subsequently on the orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court the investigations were transferred to the CBI, the statement said.