CBI court convicts cop; kin to move High Court

Tribune News Service

PK Jaiswar

Amritsar, March 31

As the Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) court in Mohali has convicted a cop and acquitted three others in a three-decade-old kidnapping and disappearance case, the family members of an ex-serviceman have decided to approach the high court for justice.

Four members of a family, including an ex-serviceman Pyara Singh, a resident of Jeobala village in Tarn Taran, were picked up by a police party from their residence in July 1992 and later they were mysteriously disappeared from the police custody during heydays of terrorism in Punjab.

Others who were kidnapped and kept in illegal detention before their mysterious disappearance included Pyara Singh’s son Harphool Singh, nephew Gurdeep Singh and their relative Sarwan Singh of the Bhikhiwind area. Gurdeep Singh was an employee of Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB).

Baldev Singh, son of Pyara Singh, pointed out that how can only one cop could take away four persons without any team. “We will approach the high court for justice,” he added.

The CBI special court at Mohali convicted the then SHO Surinderpal Singh of Goindwal police station in the case while fixing April 5 for declaring quantum of punishment. He was convicted under Section 364 and 342 of the Indian Penal Code.

The then DSP Bhupinderjit Singh, Nazar Singh and Ram Nath were acquitted giving them benefit of doubt while another cop Teg Bahadur Singh died during trial.

“My father Pyara Singh served the nation and even fought 1971 war. But it is unfortunate that Punjab Police even did not spare them and his family members for taking undue benefits of dark days of militancy in Punjab,” Baldev Singh rued.

“For 30 years we waited for justice but now we think we did not get the same,” said Jagir Kaur, wife of Pyara Singh.

Harjit Kaur, wife of Gurdeep, who was a government employee in PSEB, said they neither got any service benefits nor government job on compassionate grounds due to ‘mysterious disappearance’ as the victims’ kin had not received death certificates. Harjit Kaur said she had very difficult times in bringing up her siblings as they did not have enough agricultural land.

“The only benefit from the today’s judgement is that we can now claim the service benefits,” she pointed out.

Noted lawyer and human rights activist Sarabjit Singh Verka and advocate Jagjit Singh Bajwa said they would approach the high court for justice as there was enough evidence against other cops.

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