Amritsar, Aug. 14 -- The trial in the December 4, 2024, alleged assassination attempt on Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal has reached the prosecution evidence stage in an Amritsar district court, with both accused out on bail. District attorney (prosecution) Amritpal Singh Khehra confirmed that the case is under trial and that the prosecution has begun presenting evidence before the court. The accused include Narain Singh Chaura and Dharam Singh. Chaura, a former militant, was arrested on December 4, 2024, after allegedly opening fire at Sukhbir outside the Golden Temple. Sukhbir was performing "sewa" as part of the "tankhah", or religious punishment, imposed by the Akal Takht over the alleged "mistakes" committed by the SAD and its government during its 2007-2017 tenure. According to the police case, Chaura approached Sukhbir while the SAD president was performing his religious duty at the main entrance of the Golden Temple. The SAD chief, who had a fractured foot, was seated in a wheelchair and dressed in the uniform of a "sewadar". Chaura allegedly pulled out a pistol from a distance of around seven to eight feet and attempted to fire him. Punjab Police personnel in civvies immediately intervened and grabbed Chaura's hands, causing the shot to miss its intended target. The bullet struck a wall behind Sukhbir, several feet above his head. Other police personnel and SGPC sewadars then overpowered Chaura and took the firearm from him. The police registered a case under provisions relating to attempt to murder and the Arms Act. Defence counsel advocate Jaspal Singh Manjhpur said charges under Section 307 of the IPC and relevant provisions of the Arms Act had already been framed. The Punjab Police submitted the challan in the case on February 14, 2025. Chaura was granted bail by the court on March 25, 2025. During the bail hearing, his defence submitted that he had been acquitted in all 28 cases previously registered against him and also cited his age of 70 years. Dharam Singh, the co-accused, has also been granted bail. Sukhbir's legal team has also raised questions over the alleged failure of the police to record his statement during the investigation. The SAD has argued that the absence of the victim's statement could strengthen the defence's position during the trial and has cited it as one of the alleged shortcomings in the probe. The prosecution, however, is now presenting its evidence before the trial court, where witnesses and other material will be examined in accordance with law. The police investigation had come under political scrutiny immediately after the incident. On December 5, 2024, then Amritsar police commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said the police were also examining whether the attack could have been orchestrated to generate sympathy for Sukhbir. The remark triggered a strong reaction from SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia, who accused the police of failing to properly investigate the incident. SAD leaders also released videos which they claimed showed Chaura meeting SP-rank police officer Harpal Singh near the Golden Temple, close to the site of the incident. The party cited the alleged meeting while questioning the circumstances surrounding the attack and the police investigation. Sukhbir has approached the Punjab and Haryana high court seeking transfer of the investigation to an independent central agency such as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The plea alleges lapses in the Punjab Police investigation and seeks an independent probe into the attack. The high court issued notice to the Punjab government and the CBI on the petition. The matter remains pending, with no final order transferring the investigation to a central agency reported so far...