E-Paper
1992 fake encounter case: Mohali court directs CBI to protect witness
A Mohali court has issued directions to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to provide protection to Jasbir Kaur of Manochahal village in Tarn Taran, who is a witness in the 1992 fake encounter case.
A Mohali court has issued directions to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to provide protection to Jasbir Kaur of Manochahal village in Tarn Taran, who is a witness in the 1992 fake encounter case.
The directions were issued on Friday, a day after Kaur approached the court alleging life threats to her and her family members from Punjab Police’s assistant inspector general (AIG-Bureau of Investigation, Patiala) Raj Kumar, who is an accused in the fake encounter case, and two others.
In her complaint to the court, Jasbir said, “My husband, Aroor Singh, was killed in a fake encounter by the police. I and my two family members are witnesses in the case. On June 18, Raj Kumar and two others threatened me and told me not to give a statement in court. One of the four persons identified himself as Jasbir Singh and told me that he had killed Jaswant Singh Khalra (who waged a battle against the disappearance of thousands of Sikh youths who were later found killed in fake encounters during the militancy before he himself became a victim of one such forced disappearance), and nothing has happened to him. The accused can cause harm to me and my family. Therefore, action should be taken against the accused, besides ensuring our security.”
The judge, Harinder Sidhu, in his order said, “She may be given protection as her evidence is still pending in this case. Copy of the application be sent to the SP, CBI, to provide necessary protection to the witness. A copy of this application be also sent to the SSP, Taran Tarn, to look into the matter.”
The case dates back to 1992 when Jasbir Kaur’s husband, Aroor Singh, who was posted as an employee of the SGPC at Tarn Taran Darbar Sahib, was allegedly killed in a fake encounter.
In 1999, the CBI on the basis of its probe conducted on the directions of the Supreme Court registered a case of murder against six cops, including Raj Kumar and Nachattar Singh. Raj Kumar was posted as sub-inspector (SI) and Nachattar was posted as assistant sub-inspector (now retired), at the Manochahal police station in 1992.
The CBI had found that on December 16, 1992, Aroor Singh had appeared at Manochahal police station of Tarn Taran district after two police personnel, including Nachattar Singh, had delivered a message at his home that his lost tractor was found. When Aroor along with Jasbir Kaur and other family members reached the police station, he was allegedly detained illegally. Jasbir met and delivered food to Aroor at the police station for at least five days before he was shifted to Tarn Taran’s CIA staff. On December 28, Aroor was among four persons who died in an encounter. Police had claimed the victims as terrorists.
The case remained on stay for at least 18 years. But, last month, Jasbir Kaur had given her statement in the Mohali court.
However, Tarn Taran SSP said he has not received any such order yet. The AIG, however, refuted the allegations and said, “I never visited Manochahal and she is levelling false allegations.”
