Akshay Kumar to be questioned by Punjab police today

Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar will be questioned by the Punjab police special investigation team (SIT) today in connection with the probe into the police firing on Sikh protesters post a series of incidents of sacrilege.

Akshay Kumar reached the Punjab police headquarters a short while ago, said sources. Two Sikhs protesting the desecration of the sacred Shri Guru Granth Sahib in Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan in 2015 were shot dead by police in firing.

Kumar was earlier summoned for questioning in Amritsar. However, on the request of his Mumbai based advocate, the venue was changed to Chandigarh. The SIT needs to examine the actor as his name figured in the Justice Ranjit Singh (retd) Commission report on sacrilege incidents.

While Akshay Kumar has no direct role in the case, it is alleged that a meeting took place at Kumar’s house between Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and former Punjab Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal. A plan to grant pardon to the jailed Dera Chief was purportedly discussed there. The issue of pardon to the Sect chief for alleged blasphemy led to protests by Sikhs.

Akshay has claimed he never met the sect chief in his life and denied arranging any meeting between the Dera head and Sukhbir Badal. The SIT earlier this week questioned former CM PS Badal and his deputy CM son Sukhbir Badal in the case.