Influencer’s murder case sent to Bathinda sessions court for trial
Hearing the matter on Thursday, additional chief judicial magistrate Gurkirpal Singh Sekhon stated that the matter will now be heard by the sessions court on October 9.
Six days after rejecting the bail application of two vigilantes in the murder case of social media influencer Kanchan Kumari, 30, popularly known as Kamal Kaur Bhabhi, in Bathinda in June this year, the court of additional chief judicial magistrate (ACJM) has committed the case to the sessions court. Murder cases are exclusively triable by the sessions court.
Hearing the matter on Thursday, additional chief judicial magistrate Gurkirpal Singh Sekhon stated that the matter will now be heard by the sessions court on October 9.
The case against the accused Jaspreet Singh and Nimratjit Singh, both nihangs, was first heard on September 6, and the court committed the case today,which remained uncontested by the accused.
The local court has yet to release a detailed order of Thursday’s proceedings.
Social media influencer Kanchan Kumari was found dead inside her car at the parking lot of Adesh Medical College and Hospital in Bhucho, Bathinda, on June 11 this year.
While the police arrested Jaspreet, Nimratjit and three other accused in the case, the alleged mastermind of the crime, a 30-year-old Sikh radical Amritpal Singh Mehron, his associate Ranjit Singh of Taran Tarn and an unidentified person are still at large. Within hours of the crime, Mehron boarded a flight to the UAE from Amritsar.
In a related case, the ACJM dismissed the bail application of Jaspreet and Nimratjit, passing an order on September 19.
The ACJM stated it is of the considered opinion that the investigation against both these accused-applicants has already been finalised/completed by the police of the cantonment police station of Bathinda.
Counsel for the arrested accused had argued that though the final challan has been presented in the court but the investigation qua both these accused-applicants is still pending, and the said fact has been reflected from the note given by the police.
However, the ACJM stated in the bail rejection order last week that the purpose of giving a note at the end of the challan is only pertaining to other co-accused who remained to be arrested.
Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Amneet Kondal said on Thursday that the district police had filed a pro forma for a “blue notice” on June 20 to track and extradite Mehron to Punjab to face a trial in the murder of Kanchan.
“We are working on his extradition and sending the required information and details sought by Interpol. We have yet to get an update from Interpol in this regard,” she added today.
As per the police, the victim, a resident of Ludhiana, was strangled by Mehron and his two Nihang accomplices, stating that the murder was motivated by Kanchan’s controversial social media posts, which allegedly offended the Sikh community.
The murder took place on the night of June 9-10 when Mehron, along with Jaspreet and Nimratjit, allegedly strangled Kanchan in her car.
They later dumped her body in the parking lot of the private medical college near Bathinda on the Patiala-Fazilka national highway.
The victim’s body was discovered on the evening of June 11, and the police termed the crime as ‘unauthorised moral policing.’
Investigators said that immediately after the murder, Mehron was taken from Bathinda to the international airport in Amritsar by Ranjit Singh of Taran Tarn and an unidentified person.
“A lookout circular (LoC) was issued against Ranjit to ensure he does not flee the country. We are working to nab the culprits,” said the police officials
Social media influencer Kanchan Kumari's murder case sent to Bathinda sessions court. Two Nihang accused arrested. Mastermind Amritpal Singh Mehron remains at large, with police seeking extradition from UAE for alleged honor killing.