Many questions remain unanswered related to the CCTV footage shared by senior SAD leader Vikram Singh Majithia, which allegedly shows Amritsar Police ADCP Harpal Singh with former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal’s assailant, Narayan Singh Chaura, on two consecutive days.The old temple before the attack on Badal.
Majithia released the CCTV footage of December 3 and 4 in which ADCP Harpal Singh had intimate conversations with Narayan Singh Chaura on both days. The Akali leader has questioned why the police officer did not isolate Chaura and keep him away from Sukhveer when it was well known that he harbored a grudge against him and that he had criminal antecedents.
On its part, the Amritsar Police has remained silent on the questions raised by Majithia and the CCTV footage released by him and has not challenged its authenticity. When asked, Commissioner of Police (Amritsar) GPS Bhullar cryptically remarked that there was no need to reply to every comment. He said that the investigation into the attack on Sukhveer is being done carefully and full transparency has been maintained.
On the other hand, Majizia refuted the Amritsar police’s claim. speaking with The Indian ExpressHe asked why ADCP Harpal Singh was not questioned about his interaction with Chaura a day before the attack and an hour before Sukhveer was shot.
“Amritsar police need to explain what their officers were doing with the attackers before the attack. What kind of security did the Amritsar police put in place when their own officer who was supposed to protect Sukhvir Badal sat side by side with the attackers for two days where Sukhvir was being given the honorary ‘tankha’? When it is well known that If he has a criminal background and has posted his hatred towards the Badal family on social media, why was he allowed to go near Sukhveer?
The Akali leader said that he did not have faith in the police investigation and that Punjab Police and CM Bhagwant Mann’s claim that the police had shown ‘mustaidi’ (vigilance) was ridiculous. “Here we have a police officer from Amritsar talking to the assailant and not taking him away from the scene, knowing full well his past criminal record. In the footage, another policeman can be seen following a square inside the Golden Temple and making some gestures,” he said.
Majithia said that Chaura was also found in the Golden Temple on June 2. “I am informed that he met ADCP Harpal Singh in his office recently. I am getting more details in this regard,’ he said.
He also said that the Amritsar Rural Police claimed that the bomb attack on the Majitha police station on the day of the attack on Sukhveer was caused by a tire burst. “Which tire was inflated at 11 o’clock at night?” Does the police station have an air compressor to inflate the tires? There is evidence that explosives similar to those used in the Chandigarh blast outside a night club owned by singer Badshah were used at Majitha police station,” said Majithia.
Mocking the Amritsar CP’s comment that the attack may have been engineered to evoke sympathy for Sukhbir, Majithia said that in this case ADCP Harpal Singh was also involved in the conspiracy as he was fully aware of Chaura’s presence and did nothing yet.
Threats coming from BKI: Majithia
Majithia said that callers from abroad claiming to be Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) were threatening Chaura as to why he was being blamed and why Chaura’s turban was taken off while in police custody. After attacking Sukhvir Badal. “There is a situation where more emphasis is placed on the attackers, ignoring the fact that Chaura shot at a protected person in a holy place. I have conveyed this to the DGP and will also write to him in this regard, Majithia said.