M A I N   N E W S

Giani Kewal Singh, son denied bail
Chander Parkash
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, February 11
The Additional Sessions Judge, Mr Karnail Singh, today refused bail to former Jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib, Giani Kewal Singh and his son, Baljinder Singh, and his kin Joginder Kaur on the applications moved by them in a criminal case registered against them in connection with the dowry death of his daughter-in-law, Sharnjit Kaur in 1997.

Though the non-bailable warrants have been issued against these three accused for the past one month, the police authorities have so far failed to arrest them. They have been facing trials in the court of the Judicial Magistrate, Talwandi Sabo, which issued non-bailable warrants against them.

Giani Kewal Singh had to resign on January 10 under intense pressure after the registration of the case against him. The Sikh circles had argued that if Bibi Jagir Kaur could be asked to quit her post of the SGPC chief, following the registration of a case against her, why not the Jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib?

Giani Kewal Singh was booked in a criminal case along with his son Baljinder Singh and Joginder Kaur under Sections 304-B and 34 in connection with the death of his daughter-in-law on the direction of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, when the brother of the deceased, Mr Amarjit Singh, approached it. The deceased, Sharnjit Kaur, who was married to Baljinder Singh in 1996, was found dead under mysterious circumstances in 1997. Her body was found from the sarovar of Likhan Sar Gurdwara located in front of the official residence of Giani Kewal Singh in the Takht Sri Damdama Sahib complex.

The case took a turn when after registering a case against the accused, an application in the court of the Judicial Magistrate, Talwandi Sabo, was filed by the then Station House Officer (SHO), Talwandi Sabo, for the cancellation of the FIR, claiming that all the three had been found innocent.

The Judicial Magistrate, Talwandi Sabo, issued the summons against Giani Kewal Singh and his kin and when all of them failed to appear. Non-bailable warrants were issued against them. However, Giani Kewal Singh and other accused got a reprieve on June 14, last year when the District and Sessions Judge, Mr B.C. Rajput, stayed the operation of lower court issuing non-bailable warrants against the accused while hearing their revision petitions filed against the non-bailable warrants. The case was later shifted to the court of the Additional Sessions Judge, Mr Surjeet Singh.

However, on January 10 Mr Surjeet Singh, vacated the stay granted on the operation of order issued in connection with the non-bailable warrants against the accused by disposing off all revision petitions following this Giani Kewal Singh and his kin approached the court for securing bail.