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Disappearance of KCF chief’s mother: CBI court begins PO proceedings against Punjab ex-AIG
A special court of the Central Bureau of Investigation in Mohali has directed the Central Bureau of Investigation to initiate the proclaimed offender proceedings against the former assistant inspector general of Punjab Police, who is prime accused in the case of alleged disappearance of Khalistan Commando Force chief Paramjit Singh Panjwar’s mother in 1992.
AMRITSAR A special court of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in Mohali has directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to initiate the proclaimed offender (PO) proceedings against the former assistant inspector general (AIG) of Punjab Police, who is prime accused in the case of alleged disappearance of Khalistan Commando Force (KCF) chief Paramjit Singh Panjwar’s mother in 1992.
Mohinder Kaur, 75, of Panjwar village in Tarn Taran disappeared allegedly after being abducted by the then station house officer (SHO) of Jhabhal police station Jagdeep Singh and the then deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Ashok Kumar from her home in November 1992.
While Ashok Kumar is dead, Jagdeep, who was promoted to the post of AIG, took retirement from the department around a year ago. Justice Ajit Singh Bainse, former judge of Punjab and Haryana high court and a veteran human rights defender, had filed a petition in the court demanding enquiry from a central agency in Mohinder Kaur’s disappearance case.
The high court had given the case to CBI in 1994 and the investigating agency had booked both Jagdeep and Ashok Kumar during its investigation. The case’s proceedings have been undergoing for the last around 20 years.
A few months ago, the high court had directed the special courts to expedite the proceedings of the case, hanging fire for the last 20 years.
“Non-bailable warrants issued against accused Jagdip Singh received back unexecuted with report that the accused has sold off the properties of both the addresses as detailed therein. The prosecution has submitted that accused Jagdip Singh is intentionally evading the process of court. I am satisfied that presence of accused Jagdip Singh cannot be secured through ordinary process. Let proclamation under Section 82 CrPC be issued against accused Jagdip Singh for 31.03.2023 with directions to the serving official to complete the process of proclamation by 27.02.2023 and to return the proclamation well in time and also to appear in the court on 27.02.2023 for making statement about proclamation,” said special judicial magistrate, CBI, Punjab, Amandeep Kamboj in his order on Monday. A copy of the order is with HT.
The judge has also asked the agency to publish the proclamation orders in some conspicuous place, including the house and the town where Jagdeep ordinarily resides.
The order clearly mentioned that the date for the appearance of the accused Jagdip Singh before the court is 31.03.2023 at 10.00 am.
The court has also directed the CBI to furnish the record of the property of the accused. Besides, the court has also come down heavily on one Jaimal Singh, who had given a surety for Jagdeep.
“Notice issued to Jaimal Singh -surety of accused Jagdip Singh received back unexecuted with a report that no such person by the name of Jaimal Singh resides in the village. Let bailable warrants of surety Jaimal Singh be issued for the date fixed along with warrants of attachment of his property,” the order reads.
Leader of the separatist group KCF, Paramjit is wanted for reviving Sikh insurgency, murder, conspiracy and smuggling of arms in India. He is also wanted for the murder of former army chief General AS Vaidya and for the country’s biggest bank robbery in Ludhiana. Paramjit is believed to be living in Pakistan.
The former AIG is also accused in the disappearance case of one Aroor Singh of Manochahal village in Tarn Taran district. Aroor, a former SGPC employee, was allegedly killed in a fake encounter after being called to a police station in 1992.
Meanwhile, Mohinder Kaur’s other son Baldev Singh, a former Army man, said, “I trust the justice system. However, I wonder how police officials managed to delay justice in the past several years. Now, Jagdeep has not been turning up in the court, when the case is at the final stage.”
