Retd Punjab Police officer guns down son-in-law in court complex, held

The victim, Harprit Singh (37), was posted with the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare in New Delhi.

According to police, Harprit and his wife, Dr Amitoj Kaur, were locked in a matrimonial dispute. Harprit had filed a divorce petition at the Chandigarh district court last year, on grounds of mental and physical cruelty. While Amitoj has since moved to Canada, her father, Malvinder, was attending the court proceedings on her behalf.

On Saturday, the two families were at the Chandigarh district court complex for the fourth mediation proceedings, said police, adding that they received information about a firing incident at the mediation centre at about 2 pm.

According to eyewitnesses, when Harprit left the room to go to the washroom, Malvinder followed him. As they both stepped into the corridor outside, Malvinder allegedly opened fire. He then went and locked himself in another room, and was later apprehended by the court staff and handed over to the police, said sources.

Harprit, who reportedly sustained two bullet injuries, was taken to the PGIMER, Chandigarh, where he was declared dead.

“At about 2 pm, we received information about a gunshot firing incident at the mediation centre of the district court in Sector 43. Preliminary investigations have revealed that a matrimonial dispute was going on between Harprit Singh and Dr Amitoj Kaur. Divorce proceedings were going on since 2023… The matter was referred to the mediation centre,” said Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kanwardeep Kaur.

“Today, the mediation proceedings were being carried out by the court-appointed mediator and it was the fourth meeting. Harprit, along with his father and mother, was present, while Malvinder was accompanied by his lawyers,” Kaur said.

An FIR has been registered under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Section 103(1) (whoever commits murder shall be punished with death or imprisonment for life, and shall also be liable to fine), and relevant Sections of the Arms Act. Police said they have recovered the alleged murder weapon – a .32 bore pistol.

“We recovered four spent bullets and three live bullets from the spot. The weapon that was allegedly used to commit the crime shall be further inspected. It was a .32 bore pistol. It is yet to be investigated if it was a licensed weapon. Prima facie, it appears that two bullets hit the victim. Further details shall emerge after post-mortem examination,” said SSP Kaur.

Police said they are also investigating how the accused entered the court complex with a weapon. “Due to ongoing construction of a multi-level parking, an entry gate was closed. Another entry gate was open. How Malvinder gained access to the building with a weapon is being investigated. There are no CCTV cameras on the floor where the incident took place. But we are recording statements of eyewitnesses,” said Kaur.

Police said Malvinder is already facing two criminal cases in Mohali. He was booked in a disproportionate assets case last year, when he was posted with the Punjab Police’s human rights cell. He was also arrested for allegedly assaulting a Deputy Superintendent of Police of the Vigilance department, who was questioning him in connection with the case, on October 25 last year. Citing audio recordings, the Vigilance department booked him in a separate case of extortion and graft, and arrested him in January this year.

Malvinder retired on March 31 this year, while he was still in judicial custody. He was released on interim bail on April 10.

According to police, Harprit married Amitoj on July 19, 2020. It was his second marriage, said police. The couple lived together for about two months. Amitoj’s family claimed they were not aware of Harprit’s previous marriage. Amitoj filed a criminal complaint against Harprit in Mohali in 2020, based on which an FIR was registered in January 2021. He was arrested on charges of domestic violence, and later released on bail. Both sides later filed petitions, complaints and counter-complaints, in court as well as with the police.

Harprit was also booked for offence 313 (Causing Miscarriage without Woman’s Consent) of IPC, along with 498 A (Husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty), 506 (criminal intimidation), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) of IPC, on the complaint of his wife.