Punjab court summons logbooks, CCTV clips in Ranjit Singh ‘encounter’ case

Ranjit Singh was killed in an alleged police encounter three days after he was accused of killing two policemen at a border checkpost in Punjab's Gurdaspur district.

3 min readAmritsarAug 4, 2026 05:39 PM IST

Gurdaspur checkpost killing Ranjit Singh encounter case

ASI Gurnam Singh and Home Guard jawan Ashok Kumar were shot dead at a checkpost in Adhian, barely 2 km from the Pakistan border. (Express Photo by Kamaldeep Singh Brar)

The Gurdaspur Chief Judicial Magistrate court has ordered the partial production of evidence such as police vehicle logbooks and CCTV footage related to the February 25 alleged encounter killing of Ranjit Singh, who was accused of shooting two policemen at the Pakistan border in Punjab.

The court passed the order after Ranjit’s mother Sukhjinder Kaur filed an application seeking the summoning of extensive police records from February 19, 2026, to March 7, 2026, to ascertain the truth about his February 25 killing “and secure the ends of justice”.

The prosecution contested the plea, arguing that it “attempts to dictate the course of” the ongoing judicial inquiry. It further submitted that police logbooks and diaries contain “confidential information relating to other investigations, intelligence inputs, and police movements, and their disclosure would compromise public safety and ongoing investigations”.

Denying allegations of a fake encounter or police conspiracy as “false, baseless and malicious”, the prosecution said Ranjit sustained fatal injuries in retaliatory fire after escaping from custody and opening fire on a police party near Gurdwara Bibi Sundri Sahib.

Chief Judicial Magistrate Surekha Dadwal noted that CCTV footage from the Dorangla police station was already secured in the judicial records. However, she observed that “the official movement logbooks of the police vehicles and the CCTV footage of certain police establishments may have a bearing on the issues involved in the judicial inquiry and would assist the Court in arriving at the truth regarding the alleged fake encounter of deceased Ranjit Singh”.

The court thus partly allowed Kaur’s application and directed the authorities to produce the official logbooks of police vehicles from all relevant stations and offices, alongside CCTV footage from the Behrampur, Purana Shalla, CIA Staff Gurdaspur police stations as well as the offices of the Dinanagar deputy superintendent of police, Gurdaspur superintendent of police, and the Gurdaspur senior superintendent of police. The station house officer of the Purana Shalla was also ordered to produce relevant records and CCTV footage.

Other requests of Ranjit Singh’s mother rejected

However, the court rejected the rest of Kaur’s requests—including general daily diaries, case files, and inquest registers—”as being unnecessary and not relevant for the purposes of the present judicial inquiry”.

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The specified records and footage must be presented before the court on August 7, subject to their availability and preservation under the law.

Ranjit was one of the three men named by the police in the February 22 double murder of Assistant Sub-Inspector Gurnam Singh and Home Guard jawan Ashok Kumar at a joint checkpost in Adhian village, barely 2 km from the Pakistan border. Investigators described the attack as an ISI-orchestrated strike aimed at spreading terrorism. While Dilawar Singh was arrested immediately and Inderjit Singh was picked up later from Amritsar, Ranjit was declared killed in an “encounter” three days after the police officials’ killings.

Kamaldeep Singh Brar

Kamaldeep Singh Brar is a Principal Correspondent at The Indian Express, primarily covering Amritsar and the Majha region of Punjab. He is one of the publication's key reporters for stories involving the Akal Takht, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), and the sensitive socio-political issues of the border districts. Core Beats & Specializations Religious & Panthic Affairs: He has deep expertise in the internal workings of the Akal Takht and SGPC, frequently reporting on religious sentences (Tankhah), Panthic politics, and the influence of Sikh institutions. National Security & Crime: His reporting covers cross-border drug smuggling, drone activities from Pakistan, and the activities of radical groups. Regional Politics: He is the primary correspondent for the Majha belt, covering elections and political shifts in Amritsar, Tarn Taran, and Gurdaspur. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His work in late 2025 has been centered on judicial developments, local body elections, and religious controversies: 1. Religious Politics & Akal Takht "Akal Takht pronounces religious sentences against former Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh" (Dec 8, 2025): Covering the historic decision to hold the former Jathedar guilty for granting a pardon to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim in 2015. "YouTube suspends SGPC’s channel for a week over video on 1984 Army action" (Nov 20, 2025): Reporting on the digital friction between global tech platforms and Sikh religious bodies. "As AAP govt grants Amritsar holy tag, a look at its fraught demand" (Nov 28, 2025): An analytical piece on the long-standing demand for declaring Amritsar a "holy city" and its political implications. 2. Crime & National Security "Mostly Khalistanis on Amritpal’s hit list: Punjab govt to High Court" (Dec 16, 2025): Reporting on the state government's claims regarding jailed MP Amritpal Singh orchestrating activity from prison. "Punjab man with links to Pakistan’s ISI handlers killed in encounter" (Nov 20, 2025): Detailing a police operation in Amritsar involving "newly refurbished" firearms likely sent from across the border. "15 schools in Amritsar get bomb threat emails; police launch probe" (Dec 12, 2025): Covering the panic and police response to mass threats against educational institutions. 3. Political Analysis & Elections "AAP wins 12 of 15 zones in SAD stronghold Majitha" (Dec 19, 2025): Highlighting a significant shift in the 2025 rural elections where the Akali Dal lost its grip on a traditional fortress. "Tarn Taran bypoll: woman faces threats after complaining to CM Mann about drug menace" (Nov 9, 2025): A ground report on the personal risks faced by citizens speaking out against the illegal drug trade in border villages. "AAP wins Tarn Taran bypoll, but SAD finds silver lining" (Nov 14, 2025): Analyzing the 2025 assembly by-election results and the surprising performance of Independents backed by radical factions. 4. Human Interest "Two couples and a baby: Punjab drug addiction tragedy has new victims" (Nov 20, 2025): A tragic investigative piece about parents selling an infant to fund their addiction. "Kashmiri women artisans debut at Amritsar’s PITEX" (Dec 8, 2025): A feature on financial independence initiatives for rural women at the Punjab International Trade Expo. Signature Beat Kamaldeep is known for his nuanced understanding of border dynamics. His reporting often highlights the "drug crisis in the underprivileged localities" (like Muradpur in Tarn Taran, Nov 9, 2025), providing a voice to marginalized communities affected by addiction and administrative neglect. X (Twitter): @kamalsbrar ... Read More

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