He dragged Punjab govt to court over DSP selections, they jailed his family

Petitioner Jaskaran Singh Brar’s other relatives and friends are now running for cover. Even his counsel M P Goswami says he’s being harassed. ‘‘Earlier too, they tried to put pressure on me. Now I fear fake cases could be registered against me,’’ he said.

Investigations by The Indian Express show that ever since Jaskaran’s petition landed with the Punjab and Haryana High Court as CWP 2527, police have harassed his elderly parents and younger brother Balkaran Singh in Bhagsar village of Muktsar.

The Vigilance Bureau found that Kheta Singh, Jaskaran’s 68-year-old father, had recommended the name of a village woman for old-age pension though her husband owned over eight acres.

‘‘She does not qualify for (Rs 200 a month) pension… Numberdar Kheta Singh and panch Balkaran Singh have helped her in availing pension and the government has suffered very, very heavy financial losses on this account,’’ said the Vigilance FIR.

The report was registered at Ferozepur on October 8, exactly one week before the October 15 judgment in the DSP case.

Ferozepur Vigilance SP Inderjit Randhawa told The Indian Express that losses to the state were ‘‘heavy’’ and ‘‘an inquiry had been on since March’’ this year.

Raminder Singh, DSP Vigilance at Muktsar who descended with a huge force on Kheta Singh’s house on October 8 — the day the FIR was registered — and arrested him, said he knew Jaskaran was Kheta Singh’s son but that was ‘‘only during interrogation’’. Both officers denied any political pressure in conducting the arrests.

Since the additional judge in Muktsar was on leave and district judge, Faridkot, wanted the case to be heard in Muktsar alone, it came up for hearing on October 12. Notice was issued for October 16 and the order granting bail for Rs 30,000 each was given on October 18.

But Jaskaran and Balkaran claim the police told them about they were under political pressure. ‘‘Our affiliations are clearly known to be with the Akali Dal. The government was making the arrests to humiliate and harass us,’’ Balkaran told The Indian Express.

A copy of the pension form, submitted by the woman in 1996, gives no details of the property owned by her. It also has the signatures of several revnue officials and that of then Balamgarh MLA Baldev Singh. An Oath Commissioner has also attested it.

‘‘From March, the Vigilance Bureau started summoning my father and brother to their offices in Muktsar for investigations but did not register the FIR. At one stage, we were told by SP and DSP that investigations were being closed, but suddenly an FIR was registered. We were always under pressure to withdraw,or go slow on the writ in the High Court,’’ said Jaskaran.

Jaskaran’s friend Birinder Singh, a Mohali-based contractor, has also alleged harassment. He said police officials had in the past visited him, telling him to convince Jaskaran to take back the DSP case.

‘‘Now my payments are being deliberately delayed. I am not taking up new contracts for fear of further harassment,’’ he said, adding that Jaskaran and he had been friends for four decades.