Chandigarh, March 7 (IANS) The parents of singer Sidhu Moosewala, who was shot dead last year, on Tuesday staged a sit-in protest in front of the Punjab assembly complex in Chandigarh, seeking justice for their son.
Carrying placards, father Balkaur Singh and mother Charan Kaur told the media it has been almost a year of the crime occurrence and the main culprits have not been arrested.
They demanded that the case should be investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) as crucial witnesses "are being eliminated and nothing is going in their favour."
"Enough time has been given to the police and the administration to act. But the reality is the case is being suppressed. We are forced to sit outside the Vidhan Sabha," the singer's father said.
"Till the state assembly is in session, we will sit outside in protest," he added.
The elderly couple were accompanied by Congress leaders, including Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa and state unit chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring.
Later the couple ended the sit-in protest on the assurance of Agriculture Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal who assured them at the spot that the Aam Aadmi Party government was with them.
"It is your own government, you do not need to sit on dharna. All culprits, including the masterminds, will be arrested. Your meeting will be fixed with the chief minister after March 20," he said.
Dhaliwal told the media that 29 people have been arrested in the case, while two of the accused were killed in an encounter and five are to be brought from outside India for which the state is in touch with the Centre and other agencies.
Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, popularly known as Sidhu Moosewala, was shot dead by gangsters in Mansa district on May 29, 2022.
Donning T-shirts with pictures of Moosewala printed on them with the message 'Legends never die', some of the fans gathered to attend the 'bhog' ceremony of the singer.
A spokesperson for the police said on May 19, 10 days before the killing of Moosewala, it had already sent the proposal to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to issue Red Corner notice against Brar, which will pave the way for his extradition to India.
The accused was identified as Sidhesh Hiraman Kamle, alias Mahakaal. "He was arrested in a joint operation conducted by a team of Special Cell and Maharashtra Police," Special Commissioner of Police, Special Cell, H.S. Dhaliwal, said.
Those arrested have been identified as Sandeep Singh, alias Kekda of Sirsa, Haryana; Manpreet Singh, alias Manna of Talwandi Sabo, Bathinda; Manpreet Bhau of Dhaipai, Faridkot; Saraj Mintu of Dode Kalsia village, Amritsar; Prabhdeep Sidhu, alias Pabbi of Takhat-Mall, Haryana; Monu Dagar of Rewli village in Sonipat, Haryana; Pawan Bishnoi and Naseeb, both residents of Fatehabad, Haryana.
Acting on the interrogation of earlier arrested Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Guramanpreet Singh and contractor Hummy, the police took Dharamsot into custody for the wrongdoings in the Forest Department.
The Chief Minister's Office said the Cabinet gave the nod for promulgation of the session from June 24 with obituary references and motion of thanks on the Governor's Address, followed by a discussion on it.
