Former Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh on Sunday defended his decision to record a statement with the special investigation team (SIT) probing the 2015 Behbal Kalan police firing case, saying that there was nothing inappropriate about the move, claiming that similar interactions have taken place in the past as well, and his predecessor Giani Harpreet Singh has also done the same.
His remarks came days after former acting Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh, now heading Shiromani Akali Dal (Punar Surjit), criticised the interaction, arguing that Akal Takht proceedings are governed by a strict religious code and principles.
“The Akal Takht proceedings are strictly governed by a religious code and spiritual principles. They cannot legally or ethically be treated as judicial or police evidence. My objections are centred on religious protocol and institutional principles rather than any personal differences with Giani Raghbir Singh,” Giani Harpreet Singh had said, after the SIT, headed by additional director general of police (ADGP) Naunihal Singh, visited Giani Raghbir’s residence to record his statement.
Senior SAD (Punar Surjit) leader Bibi Jagir Kaur, a vocal critic of SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal, had also objected to Giani Raghbir recording a statement with the SIT.
Giani Ragbhir succeeded Giani Harpreet as the Akal Takht Jathedar. Both were part of the Sikh clergy that issued the December 2, 2024, decree imposing religious punishment (tankhah) on Sukhbir for “mistakes committed by the SAD government during its tenure in Punjab.”
Giani Raghbir Singh said the allegations and criticism against him seem to be “politically motivated.”
“Why is my meeting with the SIT being criticised when similar interactions had taken place in the past? Another SIT, probing the case of the missing 328 saroops of Guru Granth Sahib, had recorded a statement of Giani Harpreet Singh at his residence in Bathinda. Has he not been Jathedar of Akal Takht?” Giani Ragbhir claimed. The SIT probing case related to 328 saroops had visited the residence of Giani Harpreet Singh in January this year.
“Why was that interaction acceptable, while my meeting with the investigators is now being questioned?” he asked.
He further alleged that Giani Harpreet appeared to be politically influenced. “My advice to him would be to seek guidance from religion while engaging in public affairs rather than becoming entangled in political considerations,” he said.
According to Giani Raghbir, the SIT had visited his residence and sought information related to the proceedings conducted at Akal Takht Sahib on December 2, 2024. According to him, he merely informed the investigators that all related proceedings were already available in the public domain, including media reports, social media platforms and records maintained by the Akal Takht Secretariat.
Officials familiar with the matter said the SIT recorded a written statement from the former jathedar mentioning that during his appearance before the Akal Takht on December 2, 2024, Sukhbir “admitted to the wrongdoings” in the police firing at Behbal Kalan in which two youths were killed. In the statement, Giani Raghbir also cited the public confession made by Sukhbir wherein the Sikh clergy asked him to answer their questions with ‘yes’ or ‘no’.
Meanwhile, a 2004 Akal Takht edict, issued by the then Jathedar Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti, has also resurfaced, which bars Sikhs from using Takht’s directives, communications or related documents as evidences in the courts.
