SC upholds life term for five cops in Khalra murder

A division bench of the Supreme Court comprising Justice P Sathasivam and Justice B S Chauhan on Friday refused to set aside the High Court’s decision and upheld the life imprisonment awarded to them.

Appearing on behalf of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI),Additional Solicitor General of India,Mohan Jain contended that the High Court judgment convicting and enhancing the sentences of the accused,from seven years rigorous imprisonment to life,did not merit the interference of the Apex Court. Jain argued that such cases challenge the faith of the common man in the state’s law enforcement agencies and thus it was the duty of the courts to put a firm foot down and set an example to reaffirm that dwindling faith.

At the time of the murder,Jaswant Singh Khalra had been actively probing the alleged unauthorised cremation of bodies by the Punjab police. He was picked up from his residence on September 6,1995,allegedly at the behest of the then Punjab Police officials. The activist was allegedly tortured at the Jhabal police station before being shot dead and his body disposed off near the Harike Bridge on the Sutlej river. It was only on a petition filed by Khalra’s widow,Paramjit Kaur,that the Supreme Court in 1996 ordered that the case be handed over to the CBI.

The five whose life imprisonment was upheld are: Prithipal Singh (head constable),Satnam Singh (sub-inspector),Surinder Pal Singh (sub- inspector),Jasbir Singh (sub-inspector) and Jaspal Singh (DSP),all posted at the Taran Taran police district (Punjab) in 1995. Another accused in the case,Ajit Singh Sandhu,the then SSP,Taran Taran (Punjab),committed suicide in 1997 before the court could frame any charges against him.