Chandigarh, August 10: A Chandigarh court has taken safe custody of sealed status reports outlining the latest progress in the 2015 Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan police firing investigations.
Jurisdiction over the trials, which involve charges of property damage and sacrilege-related protests, was transferred to the Sessions Court in Chandigarh in April 2026 under instructions from the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
The legal proceedings involve prominent political and administrative figures, including former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal and former senior police officers Sumedh Singh Saini, Paramraj Singh Umranangal, Charanjit Singh Sharma, Amar Singh Chahal, and Sukhminder Singh Mann.
Trouble originated in June and September 2015 following sacrilege incidents in Bargari and Burj Jawahar Singh Wala villages. On October 14, 2015, police engaged demonstrators protesting the incidents, leading to multiple injuries at Kotkapura and two fatalities at Behbal Kalan.
Compliance with the court’s earlier request came on August 1, 2026, after the bench had previously called upon the prosecution during a July 18 hearing to provide an update on the unresolved inquiries.
Motioning for complete confidentiality during the session, the Additional Public Prosecutor for the state asserted, “Considering the circumstances and nature of the case, the status reports should remain in sealed cover.”
Accepting the prayer, the presiding judge maintained that the bench reviewed the contents prior to locking them away, observing, “The reports have been opened and examined, and they will be retained in sealed covers and kept in safe custody.”
