Faridkot (Punjab): Two brothers arrested in connection with a recent incident of sacrilege here were released today, with police now saying there was not enough evidence against them, a day after the case was handed over to CBI by the Punjab government.
Their release came after Punjab police moved an application under Section 169 of CrPC (deficient evidence) in the court of Judicial Magistrate Satish Kumar here. "We don't require their judicial custody, but they will remain part of the probe," ADGP IPS Sahota told PTI.
Rupinder Singh and Jaswinder Singh, brothers of Panjgrain Khurd village, were arrested by police in connection with the first incident of sacrilege of holy book at Bargari village in Faridkot that had triggered protests by Sikhs and hardliners across Punjab.
Shivkartar Singh, advocate of both the brothers, said police had moved an application before the court here stating that they don't have sufficient evidence against the duo.
"Both the brothers have been released from the Fardikot jail this evening," he said.
Earlier, the brothers alongwith their family members and activists of Sikh organisations, including hardliners had claimed that the two were falsely implicated by police in the sacrilege case.
After their arrest, police had claimed foreign hand behind the incident of sacrilege with connections linked to Australia and Dubai.
Meanwhile, Sahota said "the investigation was under process."
Rupinder had undergone treatment of spinal injury at PGIMER at Chandigarh for a few days recently before being again shifted back to Faridkot jail.
Both the brothers had refuted the allegations of Punjab police and pleaded their innocence.
Recently, Sikh hardliners have sent a bowl of blood to the chief minister Parkash Singh Badal demanding release of the two brothers. Sikhs across the globe were pressing for release of the two brothers while decribing them as innocent.
Punjab witnessed turmoil for over a week last month after series of over eight incidents of sacrilege of holy book with Sikh protesters, including hardliners esorting to blocking of road traffic at several places in the state.
Police have so far arrested six people for their alleged involvement in sacrilege of holy book at different places.
Drawing flak from Sikh community and opposition Congress and Aam Admi Party (AAP), Punjab government had replaced its high profile DGP Sumedh Singh Saini with his 1982 batch mate Suresh Arora.
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