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Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Ex-SSP, DSP among 5 cops get life term in 32-yr-old fake encounter case
A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court on Monday sentenced five retired police officials to rigorous life imprisonment in a 1993 fake encounter of seven youths of a Tarn Taran village and described their conduct 'morally bankrupt and profoundly inhumane'. The court of CBI special judge Baljinder Singh Sra also imposed a fine of ₹3 lakh on each of the convict. Emotional scenes played out in the CBI court on Monday as family members of the seven victims killed in the 1993 Tarn Taran fake encounters broke down upon hearing the long-awaited verdict. (HT) The court had found them guilty of criminal conspiracy, murder and destruction of evidence under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code on August 1. The case involved abduction, illegal detention, custodial torture and staged killings of seven youths — including three special police officers (SPOs) — from Rani Willa village in Tarn Taran district. The then deputy superintendent of police Bhupinderjit Singh (61), who later retired as SSP, the then assistant sub-inspector Devinder Singh (58), who retired as DSP, the then assistant sub-inspector Gulabarg Singh (72), the then Inspector Suba Singh (83) and the then ASI Raghbir Singh (63) have been sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for life. They were sentenced to life imprisonment under Section 302 (murder) of IPC along with a ₹2-lakh fine, three-year rigorous imprisonment under Section 120B (criminal conspiracy) read with Section 201 (disappearance of evidence) with a ₹50,000 fine, and three-year rigorous imprisonment under Section 120B read with Section 218 with an additional ₹50,000 fine. 'The families waited 32 years for this day. Justice has been delayed, but not denied,' said victims' counsel Sarabjeet Singh Verka. Five other accused police officials -- the then Inspector Gurdev Singh, the then sub-inspector Gian Chand, then ASI Jagir Singh and then head constables Mohinder Singh and Aroor Singh passed away during the trial. 'Upon consideration of the rival contentions, this court is of the view that there is no doubt regarding the sheer venality and callousness with which the convicts acted, reflecting an utter disregard for human dignity and life. Their conduct was not only unlawful, it was morally bankrupt and profoundly inhumane,' the court said in its order. 'However, in view of their advanced age and the prolonged agony endured during the course of the trial over many years, this court refrains from awarding the capital punishment,' it said. The court said Dr BR Ambedkar, the chief architect of the Indian Constitution, once said, 'Rights are protected not by laws but by the social and moral conscience of society'. Regrettably, this moral consciousness has yet to be fully absorbed and reflected in the institutions of governance entrusted with the protection of people's rights, said the order. The court said it can very well imagine the plight of their parents and family members who were running from pillar to post since the year 1993 to seek justice. CBI prosecutor Anmol Narang detailed how the victims were abducted falsely implicated in a robbery case. According to the CBI investigation, the chain of events began on June 27, 1993, when a police team led by Sarhali station house officer inspector Gurdev Singh abducted SPO Shinder Singh and others from the residence of contractor Joginder Singh. They were taken to Sarhali police station where they were tortured and falsely implicated in a robbery case. Subsequently, on July 2, 1993, police lodged a fake FIR claiming that Shinder and the others had absconded with government-issued weapons. Ten days later on July 12, a police party led by then DSP Bhupinderjit and inspector Gurdev staged a fake encounter. The police claimed that the victims were killed in crossfire while attempting to recover stolen arms from 'terrorists'. The bodies were cremated as 'unclaimed', despite being identified by ASIs Gulabarg and Davinder. Autopsy revealed signs of severe torture prior to death, and forensic analysis of the seized arms pointed to serious discrepancies, according to the probe. On July 28, 1993, three more abducted individuals — Sukhdev Singh, Sarabjit Singh, and Harvinder Singh — were reportedly killed in a second staged encounter by the Verowal police. According to investigators, fake recoveries and fabricated documents were used to justify these killings as anti-terror operations. The court said both the encounters were conducted under the supervision of then DSP Bhupinderjit Singh and other convicts were part of the police team. The case was handed over to the CBI following a Supreme Court directive on December 12, 1996, in connection with the mass cremation of unidentified bodies in Punjab. A preliminary inquiry began in 1997 and a formal case was registered in 1999 based on the testimony of Narinder Kaur, wife of Shinder Singh. Staged killings: Blot on khaki July 12, 2025: CBI court awards 10-year jail to former Beas SHO Paramjit Singh in a 32-year-old fake encounter case in which two constables — Surmukh Singh and Sukhwinder Singh --- were killed May 31: Three Punjab Police officers convicted in 1993 Kapurthala fake encounter case in which two men were killed. Manjit Singh, the then inspector, gets 8-year jail under separate IPC sections. Gurmej Singh, the then SI, also awarded 8-year sentence while Karamjit Singh, the then ASI gets 3-year jail March 6: A special CBI court sentences former Punjab Police DIG Dilbagh Singh to 7-year RI, and former DSP Gurbachan Singh to life term in a 1993 Tarn Taran fake encounter case involving killing of two civilians Feb 4: Former SHO Gurbhinder Singh and ex-ASI ASI Purshotam Singh get life imprisonment in a 1992 fake encounter in Majitha, Amritsar, where two persons were killed Emotions run high in courtroom Mohali Emotional scenes played out in the CBI court on Monday as family members of the seven victims killed in the 1993 Tarn Taran fake encounters broke down upon hearing the long-awaited verdict. Many of them had been waging a relentless battle for justice over three decades. 'We had been waiting for this moment of justice,' said Gurmeet Kaur, 60, wife of deceased cop Sukhdev Singh while holding a faded photograph of her slain husband. Three of the seven victims—Shinder Singh, Sukhdev Singh, and Desa Singh—were serving as special police officers (SPOs) with Punjab Police when they were abducted, tortured, and murdered by their own colleagues. 'The irony is chilling. They died wearing the same uniform as their killers,' said Sarabjit Singh Verka, counsel for the victims. The kin of victim cops demanded justice beyond the verdict. They appealed to the Punjab government for salary arrears and pensions based on their husbands' service records. Many also sought compassionate appointments for family members, stating that their families had suffered both emotionally and financially in the aftermath of the killings. 'Our fight isn't over. The state must now recognise the pain we've endured, and the future that was snatched from us,' said Balbir Kaur, sister of deceased SPO Desa Singh. The families revealed that in the absence of justice all these years, they had not performed the final rites or 'bhog' ceremonies of their loved ones.
New Indian Express
6 days ago
- New Indian Express
Five retired Punjab Police personnel sentenced to life imprisonment in 1993 fake encounter case
CHANDIGARH: A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court sentenced five retired Punjab Police officials, including a former Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) and a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) to life imprisonment in a 32-year-old fake encounter case. Seven people, including four Special Police Officers (SPOs), were gunned down in the incident in 1993 in Rani Willa village in Tarn Taran district. Those who have been sentenced to life imprisonment include former SSP Bhupinderjit Singh (61), former DSP Davinder Singh (58), former inspector Suba Singh (83), assistant sub-inspectors (ASIs) Gulabarg Singh (72) and Raghbir Singh (63). Sarabjit Singh Verka, counsel for the victim's families, said, "Finally, justice has been delivered to the families of the victims after 32 years. They have been waiting for this day. The court pronounced the quantum of the sentence and life imprisonment to all five accused who were earlier convicted in the case and imposed a penalty of Rs 17.50 lakh. The compensation will be given to the families of the deceased. Further, the court has sent the case to the district legal service authority.''
India Today
02-08-2025
- India Today
32 years on, 5 former Punjab Police officers convicted in fake encounter case
A CBI court in Mohali convicted five retired Punjab Police officers, including a former Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) and a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) for their involvement in two fake encounters in 1993 in Tarn Taran district. Those who have been convicted are former Deputy Superintendent of Police Bhupinderjit Singh, who later retired as SSP, former assistant sub-inspector Davinder Singh, who retired as DSP, former assistant sub-inspector Gulbarg Singh, former Inspector Suba Singh and former ASI Raghbir men from Rani Vallah village, including four Special Police Officers (SPOs), were illegally picked up, tortured, and murdered by the police. The officers were found guilty of criminal conspiracy, murder, destruction of evidence and fabrication of records under relevant IPC sections. They were taken into custody following the verdict, with sentencing scheduled soon. The investigation by the CBI revealed that a police team, led by the then station house officer of Sirhali Police Station, Gurdev Singh, picked up SPOs Shinder Singh, Desa Singh, Sukhdev Singh and two others named Balkar Singh and Daljit Singh from the residence of a government contractor on June 27, 1993. The CBI investigations revealed that these individuals were falsely implicated in a robbery on July 2, 1993, the Sarhali police registered a case against Shinder Singh, Desa Singh and Sukhdev Singh, alleging that they absconded along with government-issued July 12, 1993, a police team led by the then DSP Bhupinderjit Singh and then inspector Gurdev Singh claimed that while escorting a man named Mangal Singh to Gharka village for a recovery in the dacoity case, they were attacked by militants. In the ensuing crossfire, Mangal Singh, Desa Singh, Shinder Singh and Balkar Singh were forensic analysis of the seized weapons highlighted serious discrepancies and the post-mortem examination reports confirmed that the victims were tortured before their deaths, according to the being identified in records, their bodies were cremated as unclaimed, the CBI investigation July 28, 1993, three additional individuals, Sukhdev Singh, Sarabjit Singh and Harvinder Singh, were killed in a staged encounter involving a police team led by the then DSP Bhupinderjit Singh, the probe case was handed over to the CBI following a Supreme Court order on December 12, 1996, in connection with the mass cremation of unidentified bodies in Punjab. The CBI registered the case in 1999 based on the complaint filed by Narinder Kaur, the wife of Shinder other accused police officials, the then inspector Gurdev Singh, the then sub-inspector Gian Chand, the then ASI Jagir Singh, and the then head constables Mohinder Singh and Aroor Singh, passed away during the trial. - EndsWith inputs from PTI Trending Reel
Hindustan Times
02-08-2025
- Hindustan Times
Ex-SSP, DSP among 5 Punjab cops convicted in '93 Tarn Taran fake encounter case
A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court on Friday convicted five retired Punjab Police officials, including a former senior superintendent of police (SSP) and a deputy superintendent of police (DSP), in a 32-year-old fake encounter case involving the killing of seven youths of Rani Willa village in Tarn Taran district in 1993. Family members of the victims were present in court during the verdict and welcomed the judgment. (HT Photo) The court found them guilty of criminal conspiracy, murder, destruction of evidence and forgery under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The quantum of the sentence will be pronounced on August 4. Those convicted include former SSP Bhupinderjit Singh (61), former DSP Davinder Singh (58), former inspector Suba Singh (83), assistant sub-inspectors (ASIs) Gulabarg Singh (72) and Raghbir Singh (63). Following the verdict, all five were taken into custody. The verdict was pronounced by special CBI judge Baljinder Singh Sara in the case, which involved the abduction, illegal detention, custodial torture and staged killings of seven youths — including three special police officers (SPOs) — from Rani Willa village in Tarn Taran district in 1993. According to the CBI investigation, the chain of events began on June 27, 1993, when a police team led by Sarhali station house officer inspector Gurdev Singh (who died during the course of trial) abducted SPO Shinder Singh and others from the residence of contractor Joginder Singh. They were taken to Sarhali police station where they were tortured and falsely implicated in a robbery case. Subsequently, on July 2, 1993, police lodged a fake FIR claiming that Shinder and the others had absconded with government-issued weapons. Ten days later on July 12, a police party led by then DSP Bhupinderjit Singh (who retired as SSP) and inspector Gurdev Singh staged a fake encounter. The police claimed that the victims were killed in crossfire while attempting to recover stolen arms from 'terrorists'. The bodies were cremated as 'unclaimed', despite being identified by ASIs Gulabarg Singh and Davinder Singh (who retired as a DSP). Postmortem revealed signs of severe torture prior to death, and forensic analysis of the seized arms pointed to serious discrepancies, according to the probe. On July 28, 1993, three more abducted individuals — Sukhdev Singh, Sarabjit Singh, and Harvinder Singh — were reportedly killed in a second staged encounter by the Verowal police. According to investigators, fake recoveries and fabricated documents were used to justify these killings as anti-terror operations. The court said both the encounters were conducted under the supervision of then DSP Bhupinderjit Singh and other convicts were part of the police team. The case was handed over to the CBI following a Supreme Court directive on December 12, 1996, in connection with the mass cremation of unidentified bodies in Punjab. A preliminary inquiry began in 1997 and a formal case was registered in 1999 based on the testimony of Narinder Kaur, wife of Shinder Singh. Counsel of the victims Sarabjit Singh Verka said the CBI had listed 67 witnesses, but delays in the trial between 2010 and 2021 led to the deaths of 36 of them. Only 28 testified before the court. 'Justice has been delayed, but not denied. The families waited 32 years for this day,' Verka said. Family members of the victims present in court during the verdict were visibly emotional. Many welcomed the judgment with tears and expressed relief that justice had finally been served.
