ROPAR, Punjab—A Session Court in Ropar on December 3 acquitted an Ex-DGP and 3 other Punjab Police in a case related to a fake encounter (ex-judicial killing) of Sikh youth Kuldeep Singh in 1991. The victim Sikh youth Kuldeep Singh was abducted from Krishna Mandi area of Morinda on October 24, 1990.
The Session Judge BS Sandhu decided to give benefit of doubt to the four accused including Ex-DGP (Director General of Police) SK Sharma, Ex-DIG (Deputy Inspector General) SPS Basra, the then SHO (Station House Master) of Morinda Balkar Singh and former ASI Gurcharan Singh.
Speaking to Sikh24, Bapu Ajaib Singh (father of victim Kuldeep Singh) saidd that his son Kuldeep Singh was abducted from Morinda on October 24, 1990 by a team of Punjab police. He added that on May 15, 1991 he read a report in the papers in which the then SSP (Patiala) SK Sharma had claimed Kuldeep Singh was killed in an encounter at Tholiwal village of Barnala Police constituency on May 1.
“The SSP SK Sharma had alleged Kuldeep Singh’s involvement in cases of extortion and robberies”, said Bapu ji.
Bapu Ajaib Singh also said that the concerned Police station had confirmed in writing with the National Human Rights Commission and United Nation that the victim Kuldeep Singh was not wanted in any case.
It is pertinent to note here that it took long time for the victim family to get the charges brought against the Police and the family had to fight a long legal war.
The Courts had charged the Police under section 364 (kidnapping or abducting with intention of murder), 302 (murder), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of Indian Penal Code.
Terming the Court’s verdict as an injustice to the family, Bapu Ajaib Singh said that he would challenge the Session Court’s verdict in the Punjab & Haryana High Court.