Jassi case: Extradition hits political roadblock

Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 22

The extradition of the two main conspirators in the Jassi honour killing case is awaiting clearance from the Department of Justice, headed by Federal Justice Minister Judy Wilson Raybould.

The deportation of Jassi’s mother Malkiat Kaur and maternal uncle Surjit Singh Badesha was stayed at the last minute as their lawyers moved the department immediately after the Supreme Court of Canada had allowed their extradition about two weeks ago.

However, police sources and media reports from Canada said the lawyers and relatives of the accused were taken off guard by the swift move of the Punjab Police to send a team there for speedy extradition.

The matter seems to have gone out of the hand of the three-member Punjab Police team, which has already communicated to high-ups today that they will have to return empty-handed. The team said the Department of Justice was scheduled to hear the review petition today but adjourned it.

The state police are likely to take a decision tomorrow on recalling the team or not.

Sources said the Punjab Government may have to take up the matter politically with the Canadian Government as the case has become prestigious for fair investigation by the Punjab Police, the Indian judicial system and the condition in Punjab jails, all of which have been questioned by the accused and some Canadian analysts.

The Supreme Court had allowed the extradition of the brother-sister duo, but the Department of Justice stayed it due to a review petition filed by their lawyers.