Photo Source; Babushahi Bureau
Committee headed by former judge to probe Shubhkaran’s death; to record farmers’ statement in Chandigarh
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, May 5, 2024: The committee lead by former court judge Jaishree Thakur will record the statements of farmers at Kisan Bhawan tomorrow. The committee was formed on March 7 after a Public Interest Litigation was filed by Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa in the Punjab and Haryana High Court to probe the death of young farmer Shubhkaran Singh ensuing the violence of February 21 at Haryana-Punjab border.
The litigation was filed pro bono by senior advocate APS Deol, former advocate general of Punjab on behalf of Bajwa on Feb 27, 2024 and first hearing was held on February 29.The committee visited the place of clash on April 18 and later asked witnesses to submit the evidence and submit their statements.
However, farmers were fearful to visit Narwana PWD Guest House as Haryana government has reportedly registered cases against unknown persons and could have arrested them.
LoP Bajwa requested the honourable committee through his counsel Himmat Singh Deol to record the statements of farmers outside Haryana. Thus to enable the injured farmers and other eye witnesses to appear before the committed without any pressure to state true facts which lead to death of Shubhkaran Singh.
The committee acceded to the request and scheduled to hear the witnesses at Kisan Bhawan in Chandigarh on May 6 at 1430 hrs. LoP Bajwa said that the committed has asked to bring 30 odd farmers who were injured to record their statement and may produce evidence such as tear gas shells, pellets and empty cartridges of different bores.
While attacking the AAP government lead by CM Bhagwant Mann, Bajwa said that the Punjab government was in cahoots with the BJP lead government in Haryana and centre as it filed a ‘Zero FIR’ a day before his petition was moved in the high court.
During the hearing of the petition, the honourable high court stated that the Punjab government is shirking its responsibility whereas state of Haryana is yearning to get its hand on the investigation of the case related to the death of Shubhkaran Singh and the type of weapon used.
The issue regarding the jurisdiction and force used whether commensurate with the situation was also required to be decided for which the committee was formed by the honourable Punjab and Haryana High Court.