Daughter’s death: HC bench recuses from hearing Jagir Kaur’s plea

A Punjab and Haryana high court bench has recused itself from hearing Bholath legislator and former Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Bibi Jagir Kaur’s petition in a 2000 case related to her daughter’s murder.

A Punjab and Haryana high court bench has recused itself from hearing Bholath legislator and former Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Bibi Jagir Kaur’s petition in a 2000 case related to her daughter’s murder.

In 2012, Kaur was convicted on various counts -- forcible abortion of the victim’s child, wrongful confinement, abduction and criminal conspiracy -- except murder. (HT File Photo)

The high court bench of justices SS Saron and Lisa Gill ordered the matter be put before the acting chief justice for appropriate orders to move it to some other bench.

In April 2000, the SAD leader’s daughter Harpreet Kaur had died under mysterious circumstances. Later, an inquiry conducted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), on the high court’s directions, found Bibi Jagir Kaur’s involvement. In 2012, she was convicted on various counts -- forcible abortion of the victim’s child, wrongful confinement, abduction and criminal conspiracy -- except murder. In November 2012, the high court admitted her appeal.

At present, the former SGPC chief is out on bail. In the petition, she has sought suspension of her sentence, arguing that it has made her ineligible to contest the 2017 assembly elections.