The Punjab and Haryana high court has directed the Moga senior superintendent of police (SSP) to register a case against former station house officer (SHO) of Badhni Kalan, an assistant sub-inspector and two other cops for illegally detaining an elderly couple.
The cops had detained them for four days and later registered a case of abetment of suicide against them.
The high court’s directions came after the Moga district and sessions judge conducted an inquiry and found the cops guilty of illegal detention of Shinda Singh and his wife Paramjit Kaur of Rania village.
Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi also directed the Moga police to constitute a special investigation team to look into the case of abetment of suicide registered against them at the Badhni Kalan police station on March 4.
Victims’ counsel Arshdeep Brar said the couple was illegally detained and FIR was registered in the first week of March.
“SI Karamjeet Singh, then SHO of Badhni Kalan police station, had illegally detained Shinda and his wife Paramjit on March 1. The very next day, acquaintances of the victims and local activists approached the high court. On March 3, the court had appointed a warrant officer to look into the matter,” Brar said.
“The warrant officer visited the Badhni Kalan police station on some day and did not find the victims there. The police somehow got information about the warrant officer’s visit and shifted victims to some unknown place. On March 4, the then SHO registered a case of abetment of suicide against the couple, their son and two activists, who approached the court. The incident of suicide, in which they were made accused, took place on February 25,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}“The warrant officer visited the Badhni Kalan police station on some day and did not find the victims there. The police somehow got information about the warrant officer’s visit and shifted victims to some unknown place. On March 4, the then SHO registered a case of abetment of suicide against the couple, their son and two activists, who approached the court. The incident of suicide, in which they were made accused, took place on February 25,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}Later, the high court directed district and sessions judge, Moga, to conduct an inquiry. The report has been submitted in the high court.
“In his report, the district and sessions judge said that SI Karamjit Singh, SHO, Badhni Kalan, ASI Jaswant Rai, Gunman Pawan Kumar and a lady police official are guilty of illegal detention of Shinda and Paramjit. In view of the report, the SSP is directed to register an FIR against the above said persons found to be guilty of having illegally detained Shinda Singh and Paramjit Kaur,” the order reads.