Notice to Punjab on plea for probe into holy book burning

Chandigarh, September 16

Less than six months after an Amritsar court refused to entertain an application seeking directions to the police to investigate matters pertaining to a holy book, Justice Harnaresh Singh Gill of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today put the state of Punjab on notice on a petition challenging the order.

Appearing before Justice Gill’s Bench, Balwinder Singh submitted he was seeking the quashing of the order dated April 8 passed by the Amritsar Judicial Magistrate First Class, whereby an application under Section 156(3) of the CrPC was dismissed with liberty to the complainant-petitioner to file a private complaint if he desired. A magistrate can exercise power under Section 156 (3) to direct the police to conduct the investigation in respect of a cognisable offence.

His counsel submitted that the Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee, vide resolution dated July 12, 2020, appointed advocate Dr Ishar Singh to inquire into the incident of burning of holy book and shortage of the holy book in the publication department. — TNS