2016 murder case: Jaitu court issues 2nd non-bailable warrant against Punjab cricket body chief
Sub-divisional judicial magistrate Shaminder Pal Singh asked Mehta, an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and a businessman from Bathinda, to appear before the court on May 27.
A sub-divisional court in Faridkot’s Jaitu on Wednesday issued a fresh non-bailable warrant (NBW) against Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) president Amarjeet Mehta in a nine-year-old murder case, as the summon orders were returned unexecuted once again.
Sub-divisional judicial magistrate Shaminder Pal Singh asked Mehta, an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and a businessman from Bathinda, to appear before the court on May 27.
In the last hearing held on May 3, the court had first issued an NBW stating that Mehta was deliberately not appearing in the court causing a delay in starting the trial. Six individuals, including Mehta and four cops, are accused of the murder of Ajmer Singh in 2016.
The case
It was alleged that Mehta and his associate Dharampal Singh Goel, who were also involved in the liquor business, had been pressuring liquor contractors in Faridkot to sell their shares to them or divert their liquor quotas in 2016.
In his complaint, Ranjit alleged that he and his brother Ajmer, both kabaddi players, were employees of a liquor contractor. He alleged that his brother was chased by Mehta, Goel and police officials, including then sub-inspector Lachman Singh, then constables Parminder Singh, Dharminder Singh and Kabal Singh, before being shot dead on May 25, 2016.
The FIR filed on May 26, 2016, by then Jaitu SHO Lachman Singh stated that two armed men opened fire at the police team and in self-defence Ajmer was killed. Initially, Ajmer was portrayed as a notorious gangster and a member of the Davinder Bambiha gang.
However, in the summons issued to the accused on February 20 this year, the sub-divisional judicial magistrate referred to discrepancies in the police theory.
A judicial probe was initiated and a murder case was filed on June 7, 2021. A special investigation team (SIT) concluded that the police acted in self-defence and recommended filing a cancellation report. However, Ajmer’s mother contested this, and the then magistrate rejected the cancellation report on July 30, 2024. Magistrate Shaminder Pal questioned the police’s version, including that Ajmer was a gang member, stating that the police had not given any supporting evidence.
The order mentions that the police tortured Ajmer’s brother, Ranjit, and filed false charges against him under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and Excise Act to pressure him. Ranjit was acquitted in both cases.
