A big decision has come in Mohali. Two former policemen have been sentenced to life imprisonment. Both of them are more than 70 years old. They were accused of killing two Sikh soldiers in a fake encounter in 1992. One soldier was in the army and the other was a farmer. Both former policemen have also been fined Rs 2 lakh each. Special CBI Judge Rakesh Kumar Gupta said that if the fine is not paid, then there will be three and a half years more imprisonment.
Former SHO of Majitha police station Gurbinder Singh (72) and former ASI Parshottam Singh (70) were convicted on Friday. They have been sentenced under sections 302, 120-B and 218 of the Indian Penal Code. This means that they conspired together to commit murder and got wrong information recorded in government records.
Killed in fake encounter
CBI public prosecutor Anmol Narang said that Baldev Singh alias Deba and Lakhwinder Singh alias Lakha were killed in a fake encounter by Majitha and Amritsar police on 13 September 1992.
Described as dreaded terrorists
Lawyer Sarabjit Singh Verka said that at that time the police had claimed that both were dreaded terrorists. There was also a reward on them. They were involved in many murder, extortion and robbery cases. These also included the murder of Harbhajan Singh alias Shindi, son of then minister Gurmeet Singh. Gurmeet Singh was a minister in the Beant Singh government.
CBI investigation found the encounter to be fake
Investigation revealed that Deba was a Lance Naik in the army and Lakha was a farmer. CBI investigation proved that Deba was arrested from his house on 6 September 1992. His house was in Baserke Bhaini village. He was arrested by a team of SI Mohinder Singh and SHO Harbhajan Singh of Chheharta police station.
Lakha was arrested from his rented house in Preet Nagar, Amritsar on 12 September 1992. A man named Kulwant Singh was also arrested along with him. Kulwant was later released. Lakha was a resident of Sultanwind village but lived in Amritsar city. He was arrested by a police team led by SHO Gurbinder Singh of Majitha police station.
Falsely implicated in the murder of Gurmej Singh’s son
The CBI found in its investigation that Deba and Lakha were falsely implicated in the murder of the minister’s son on 23 July 1992. On 13 September 1992, both were killed in a fake encounter near Sansara village. The CBI concluded that both were detained illegally. There was no record of the movement of police vehicles.
CBI filed chargesheet in 1999
CBI registered the case on 15 November 1995 on the orders of the Supreme Court. The chargesheet was filed on 30 August 1999. Due to the stay order of the High Court, the statements of the witnesses were recorded after 2022. Victims’ lawyer Sarabjit Singh Verka said that out of 37 witnesses, only 19 statements could be recorded, as many witnesses died during the long trial.
Many accused died during the long trial
Many accused also died during the long trial. These include Harbhajan Singh, Mohinder Singh, Parshottam Lal, Mohan Singh and Jassa Singh. The remaining accused, then DSP SS Sidhu, then CIA in-charge Chaman Lal, then SHO Gurbinder Singh and ASI Parshottam Singh were tried.
