Punjab Sacrilege Investigation Ramps Up: SIT Summons Former Union Minister Vijay Sampla and Two Retired IAS Officers
The long-standing investigation into Punjab’s highly sensitive 2015 Faridkot sacrilege cases is catching fresh wind. In a significant move, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has officially summoned former Union Minister of State and senior BJP heavyweight Vijay Kumar Sampla, alongside two retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers, to join the ongoing probe.
All three individuals have been ordered to present themselves before the investigative team in Jalandhar on June 22.
The move marks a sharp escalation in a legal saga that has hung heavily over Punjab’s political landscape for more than a decade. Let us unpack exactly what is happening behind the scenes and why these summonses matter.
Legal Notices Issued Under the New Sanhita
The SIT did not just send out standard requests; they dropped official notices under Section 179 of the newly minted Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).
According to the directives, Vijay Sampla was asked to check in at 11 am at the Gos Mess inside the PAP Complex in Jalandhar. The objective is to put him through a formal examination and officially record his statement. The SIT explicitly mentioned that they believe Sampla might possess critical knowledge regarding the facts and circumstances surrounding the decades-old controversy.
Far from pushing back, Sampla confirmed he received the legal notice and intends to play by the book. He made it clear that while he does not know the exact micro-details of why his presence is required in this specific case file, he deeply respects the legal mechanism and will fully cooperate by showing up as directed.
The Core of the Investigation: Two Fatal FIRs
To understand the weight of these summonses, you have to rewind to October 2015. The fallout from the sacrilege incidents in Faridkot district triggered massive public outrage and subsequent police action, leading to two cornerstone FIRs that the SIT is currently dissecting:
FIR No. 129: Registered originally at the Bajakhana police station on October 14, 2015. This specific file deals with heavy charges, including attempt to murder, rioting, being part of an unlawful assembly, destroying public property, and multiple violations grouped under the Arms Act.
FIR No. 130: Logged just a week later on October 21, 2015. This case carries even darker implications, involving Sections 302 (murder), 307, and 34 of the Indian Penal Code, running alongside severe Arms Act provisions.
These cases are tied to the incredibly volatile violence and police firing incidents that rocked the state back then, and they remain some of the most fiercely debated legal battles in Punjab’s modern history.
Bureaucrats Under the Scanner
Vijay Sampla isn’t the only high-profile name heading to the PAP Complex. The SIT has cast its net wider into the administrative side of things by summoning two retired IAS officers – Malwinder Singh Jaggi and Gagandeep Singh Brar – to face the exact same round of questioning on the same day.
While top officials have kept their cards close to their chest regarding the precise reasons these specific bureaucrats are being hauled in, they dropped a standard line stating that their statements are simply vital pieces needed to complete the current investigative puzzle.
A Renewed Push for Answers
This sudden flurry of activity signals a massive wave of fresh scrutiny into a deep-rooted issue that has simmered for over ten years. The SIT is actively re-examining multiple overlooked angles of the 2015 violence, and they are not taking no for an answer. Officials have already quietly cautioned that failing to comply with these summonses or skipping the scheduled appearances could instantly invite strict legal action under existing provisions.
For a case that has seen endless political finger-pointing and legal stalemates, this latest development shows that the investigators are determined to push through the noise to get their final answers.
