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Mohali: Retired Punjab Police inspector gets life term for abducting son-in-law
26-year-old victim has been untraceable since his disappearance in July 2010; his car was fished out from Bhakra Canal in Rupnagar in 2011
Over 14 years after a 26-year-old man disappeared in July 2010, a Mohali court has awarded life imprisonment to his father-in-law, a retired inspector of Punjab Police, for abducting the victim who continues to remain untraceable.
The Mahindra Bolero car belonging to the victim, Gurdeep Singh, was recovered from Bhakra Canal in Rupnagar a whole year after his disappearance. But he has yet to be traced by police.
Awarding life imprisonment under Section 364 (kidnapping or abducting in order to murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the court of additional district and sessions judge Baljinder Singh Sra also imposed a fine of ₹10,000 on the convict, Jagvir Singh, who was SHO at Julka police station in Patiala, when the victim had gone missing.
The court also awarded a seven-year sentence under Section 464 (making a false document) and five-year jail each under Sections 471 (using as genuine a forged document) and 474 (possessing forged document) of the IPC. The sentences will run concurrently.
Victim had sour relations with his in-laws
As per case files, the victim’s mother, Bhupinder Kaur, a resident of Kumbra in Mohali, had accused Jagvir of abducting her son on July 4, 2010.
She had alleged that Jagvir may have murdered her son following the latter’s fallout with his in-laws. Bhupinder alleged that Jagvir, an inspector with the Punjab Police and posted in Patiala, misused his position as police officer and got two cases registered against his son-in-law and his family.
While Phase-8 police booked Gurdeep, Bhupinder and his sister Harjit Kaur for wrongful confinement and hurting his wife (Jagvir’s daughter) on May 29, 2009, Phase-11 police lodged an attempt to murder FIR against Gurdeep on June, 1, 2009.
After these cases, Gurdeep had shifted to his in-laws’ house in Phase 11, but had a strained relationship with his wife and in-laws. His widowed mother stayed alone at her house in Kumbra.
Bhupinder alleged that her son’s marital relationship further got sour as Jagvir suspected him of illicit relationship with a close relative, which according to her could be the main reason behind his disappearance or suspected killing.
Gurdeep, according to his mother, had constant quarrels with his wife Jaspreet Kaur.
Senior advocate AS Sukhija, advocate Shebaz Singh and advocate Diya Sharma, counsels for Gurdeep Singh, told court that he had informed his friend Rajinder Singh over phone on July 3, 2010, that due to the late delivery of a pizza on the birthday of his brother-in-law on July 2, 2010, he had a fight with his wife.
Advocate Shebaz averred that hatching a conspiracy, Jagvir sent his wife Ranjit Kaur and daughter to the US on July 3, 2010, a day before the disappearance of Gurdeep.
Rajinder deposed before the court that on July 4, 2010, while he was passing through Sector 48 as he was going to Baltana at 8 pm, Gurdeep zipped past him at high speed in his Bolero car and over phone informed him that he was going to meet his father-in-law after being summoned to Singhpura village.
Gurdeep also called another friend on July 4, 2010, to return his sword, which was kept at the latter’s shop. It was contended that since it was Sunday, the shop was closed and thus Gurdeep went to meet his father-in-law without a weapon. Gurdeep was never seen again.
On July 13, 2010, Phase-11 police had booked Jagvir for abducting Gurdeep.
In 2011, the victim’s car was fished out from the Bhakra Canal in Rupnagar.
“Jagvir Singh, being SHO at Julka police station in Patiala, with intention to create false evidence to save himself from legal punishment, had got some lines inserted in DDR No.19, dated July 4, 2010, and DDR No 26, dated July 4, 2020, regarding his departure and arrival at Julkan police station. The said insertion was proved to be forged and fabricated by the report of CFSL, Chandigarh. The court then reframed charges from 365 IPC, which was a bailable section, to 364 IPC in January this year,” said advocate Shebaz.
Mother breaks down post verdict
Bhupinder Kaur, who fought a long-drawn legal battle for 14 years and is still awaiting the return of her only son, broke down and was inconsolable after the announcement of quantum of sentence against the cop.
“Though I am sure that he killed my son, I am grateful to the court for giving me relief and justice. I went from pillar to post for justice and held many protests against the investigators, but no police officer paid heed to my pleadings. The court should also investigate the role of my daughter-in-law and her mother in hatching the conspiracy and punish them too,” Bhupinder said while talking to media.
