Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar on Monday took to Twitter to clear air on the allegations of mediating between the controversial Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim and SAD president Sukhbir Badal. Akshay, in a detailed statement issued through the micro blogging website, clarified that he had never met Ram Rahim “in my life, anywhere”.

His clarification came a day after the Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing the police firing incidents at Behbal Kalan in 2015 on the sacrilege issue, issued summons to the Bollywood actor along with former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, his son Sukhbir Badal.

Akshay’s name was mentioned in Justice Ranjit Singh Commission report on the sacrilege incidents, but the panel could not take cognisance of the allegations as it was not backed by an affidavit by the informant.

The Commission has taken on record a letter and subsequent testimony by one Harbans Singh Jalal, who among other things, talked about a meeting between the Bollywood actor, a senior Punjab politician and Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.

He had informed that the meeting was held at the Akshay’s residence in Mumbai for the release of Ram Rahim’s “Messenger of God” in Punjab before the grant of pardon to the Dera chief as the movie was expected to do business of Rs 300 crore, if released in the State.

After the recommendations of the Justice Ranjit Singh Commission report, the Punjab Government had set up a SIT in September this year to probe the police firing incidents at Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan in Faridkot in 2015 after a series of sacrilege incidents in the state from all aspects. In the police firing at Behbal Kalan, two persons were killed.

Taking note of the Akshay’s alleged role, the SIT had issued summons to the actor to appear before it on November 21 maintaining that his presence is necessary for the purpose of inquiry into the sacrilege and related firing cases and he needed to give such information relating to the same as he may possess.

Denying all allegations, Akshay tweeted, “It has come to my knowledge that some rumours and false statements are being loosely made on social media about my involvement with a person named Gurmeet Ram Rahim in the context of a fictitious meeting involving Sukhbir Badal.” 

“With all humility, I would like to state that I have never ever met Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in my life, anywhere...I learnt from social media at some point that Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh resided for while at some place in my locality Juhu in Mumbai but we never crossed each other’s paths,” he added.

Maintaining that he had dedicatedly made films promoting the Punjabi culture and the rich history and tradition of Sikhism, Akshay said that he would “never anything that would even remotely hurt the sentiments of my Punjabi brothers and sisters for which I have utmost respect and love”.

He added that his statement “is the utmost and absolute truth” while challenging anyone who can prove it otherwise.

Besides Akshay, the SIT has summoned the then Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, and the then Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal to appear before it on November 16, and November 19 respectively, at Amritsar Circuit House.

The summon orders were issued separately for the three by SIT member and IG rank officer Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh.

Kunwar Singh said that the summons, relating to the investigation of cases originating from the various incidents of sacrilege in 2015, have been issued under Section 160 of the CrPC, requiring attendance at investigation, relating to Bargari sacrilege case, the Behbal Kalan and Kotkapura police firing incidents.

NO ROLE IN SIT SUMMONS TO BADALS, AKSHAY:  CAPT

Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Monday made it clear that his government had no role in the summoning of the Badals and actor Akshay Kumar by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the 2015 sacrilege and police firing incidents.

“The SIT is an independent entity and is functioning without any government interference,” said Capt Amarinder in response to a question while addressing the media after inaugurating the Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital at Sangrur.

“The Government’s job is to form the SIT as per the unanimous decision of the Vidhan Sabha, which we had done. And now, the onus of investigation is on the SIT,” said the Chief Minister.