Gikki murder: Father spars with HC judge in courtroom

Saurabh Malik

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 18

More than seven years after Jalandhar hotelier Gurkirat Sekhon, aka Gikki, was shot dead allegedly by “influential political persons”, his father on Wednesday objected to the case being heard by a Division Bench, triggering a verbal spat between him and a judge.

His objection was that the Jalandhar-based lawyer-father of one of the accused was known to the judge during his stint there.

As the case came up for hearing before the Bench of Justice AB Chaudhari and Justice Kuldip Singh, 67-year-old Rajbir Singh Sekhon jostled his way through a cluster of advocates in the courtroom.

Appearing before the Bench, Sekhon said: “My son Gurkirat was murdered in Jalandhar and Hon’ble Justice Kuldip Singh was the presiding officer of the industrial tribunal at Jalandhar for two terms. Accused Sunny Sachdeva’s father and Justice Kuldip Singh are very close friends.”

Flashing documents, Sekhon said he had already addressed two registered posts on July 5 and 10 for the

matter to be placed before some other Bench. In response, Justice Kuldip Singh asserted: “Mr Sekhon, so many lawyers appear…”

“But you are acquainted the most with that man,” rebutted Sekhon. In turn, Justice Kuldip Singh said: “Mr Sekhon, you are creating nuisance. We have sympathy for you because you lost your son. We want to arrive at the truth.”

“I want justice,” Sekhon replied, to which Justice Kuldip Singh said: “Justice will be done. He was simply an advocate…” Counsel for the accused Vinod Ghai, meanwhile, dubbed Sekhon’s assertions as contemptuous. Sekhon then said he had never taken “this” plea before. Justice Kuldip Singh refuted the claim by saying he had been raising such issues earlier also. “The case was transferred from Jalandhar to Gurdaspur on your asking.” Sekhon, in response, insisted the case was transferred on the other party’s plea.

Justice Kuldip Singh said: “The court has sympathy. But that does not give you the right to level allegations against anyone who keeps coming in your way.” The Bench then adjourned the hearing in the matter for two months.

Jalandhar hotelier’s killing in 2011

• On April 20, 2011, Ram Simran Singh Makkar aka Prince and three others allegedly shot dead hotelier Gurkirat Singh Sekhon aka Gikki (pic) in Jalandhar in front of his father
• Makkar, a nephew of then SAD MLA Sarabjit Singh Makkar, was a councillor. Gikki and Prince were childhood friends but had fallen out
• An FIR was registered under Sections 302 (murder), 34 (common intention) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of IPC
• Four accused were sentenced to life imprisonment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder