Three witnesses examined but Badals fail to keep their date with court

The court accepted the exemption pleas of all those accused absent for today while all other accused on bail except,who had been declared proclaimed offenders,were present with their counsels,said the

Public Prosecutor-cum-District Attorney Pradeep Mehta.

Special Judge J S Klar,while continuing the examination of 38 material witnesses after the prosecution and the defense counsels had tendered “no incriminating evidence” against the Badals or any other accused and had termed it as a “fit case for acquittal” of the accused,examined Constable Ishwar Singh and two civilians Sukhninder Singh of Bathinda and Surinder Singh Walia of Chandigarh on their statements earlier recorded by the prosecution under Section 161 of the CrPC in July and August,2003.

Deposing before the court,the policeman,who was then posted as gunman with another accused in the case Kamaljeet Singh Sidhu,denied making any statement to the prosecution whatsoever was attributed to him on July 24,2003. He categorically submitted before the court that he had never met the investigation officer in the case Surinder Pal Singh and he was not aware of any money transactions at Sidhu’s residence,which prosecution attributed to him,as he was posted on sentry duty,which made him to stand at the gate only.

Similarly,Sukhninder Singh refuted giving any statement to prosecution on August 6,2003,to the effect that Badal’s then Officer on Special Duty Hardeep Singh Bhamra had allegedly demanded Rs 7.5 lakh from him for the selection of his daughter-in-law as Ayurvedic Medical Officer. Sukhninder told the court that he never met Bhamra and no such demand was ever made from him as his daughter-in-law had got selected through legal recourse.

Third court witness Surinder Singh Walia also declined making any statement to the prosecution on August 7,2003,that Badal’s close relative Narottam Singh Dhillon allegedly collected huge amounts as gratification from police officers and jewellers for arranging them plum postings and undue favours,respectively. Walia also asserted that he neither met any prosecution official nor gave any such statement.

The court summoned ten more court witnesses for examination on November 6.

On October 6 and September 14,six court witnesses were examined,of which four had admitted and two had not supported prosecution statements while another court witness was dropped for re-examination after he retracted statement.

On August 27,the court had ordered to summon 38 material witnesses under second part of Section 311 of the CrPC for proper adjudication of the case as their evidence was found to be essential.