Talwandi Sabo, June 2
The dowry death case registered against Giani Kewal Singh, Jathedar Damdama Sahib, fifth Takht of the Sikhs and his wife Joginder Kaur, his son Barjinder Singh took a new turn here today when Mr Jatinder Singh Bheniwal, Judicial Magistrate (Senior Division), summoned them for appearance in his court on June 11 to stand trial.
Mr Bheniwal passed this order today after rejecting the application moved by the police authorities in connection with the cancellation of FIR registered under Sections 304-B, and 34 of the IPC against Giani Kewal Singh, Barjinder Singh and Joginder Kaur in connection with the death of his daughter-in-law Sharanjit Kaur on May 18, 1997, under abnormal circumstances. The case was registered on the directive of the Punjab and Haryana High Court when it was approached by the deceased’s elder brother, Mr Amarjit Singh, through a writ petition.
Mr Bheniwal while talking to TNS said after agreeing with the findings of the police made during the investigation of this case he had taken cognizance of the offence under Section 304-B. He added that he also did not agree with the police report made in connection with the cancellation of the FIR.
Mr Chand Singh, the then Station House Officer (SHO), Talwandi Sabo police station, moved an application for the cancellation of an FIR following the endorsement of inquiry conducted into this case by the DSP and the SSP. In the inquiry report, the police claimed that all three accused were found innocent during the investigation.
Giani Kewal Singh, Barjinder Singh and Joginder Kaur were booked for allegedly forcing Sharanjit Kaur to commit suicide. The body of Sharanjit was found in the sarovar of the historic Likhansar Gurdwara at Takht Damdama Sahib in front of the house of Giani Kewal Singh.
After failing to get any positive response from the police authorities, Mr Amarjit Singh, brother of the deceased, approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court. A division bench of the court directed the SSP, Bathinda, to register a case against the three persons.
The police never dared to arrest Giani Kewal Singh and his kin
allegedly due to his closeness to the ruling Akali leadership of Punjab. Giani Kewal Singh, who used to be a close confidant of former SGPC chief Gurcharan Singh Tohra, came close to the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, afterwards when there was a dispute between Mr Tohra and Mr Badal over the removal of Bhai Ranjit Singh from the jathedarship of Akal Takht.
Mr Bheniwal before deciding on the application moved for cancellation of the FIR against Giani Kewal Singh and his kin issued notice to the complainant on whose complaint the FIR was registered.
Sharanjit Kaur died within one year of her marriage under suspicious circumstances. Her brother had sought the registration of an FIR and a CBI probe into the incident.
