M A I N   N E W S

8 Punjab cops get life term for murder
Tribune News Service

Killing of Bathinda resident The policemen arrested Bathinda resident Paramjit Singh in 1992 The police claim his associates fired upon the police party to facilitate his escape. They claim he is alive Paramjit's relatives maintained the policemen killed him and disposed of the body

Bathinda, January 14
The court of Additional Sessions Judge today sentenced eight policemen, who were found guilty of killing a city resident 22 years ago, to life imprisonment. The body has not been recovered till date.

The victim's relatives had accused the eight policemen of arresting Paramjit Singh, killing him and disposing of the body. The court of MPS Pahwa also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on each policeman and ordered that 15 per cent of the total fine be paid as compensation to the victim’s family.

The policemen’s counsel, advocate Gurjeet Khadial, said that they would appeal in the high court that the “deceased” Paramjit was alive and spotted in Patna and Maharashtra by some Bathinda residents.

The accused include dismissed Punjab Police DSP Gurjit Singh (now a proclaimed offender), dismissed Inspector Baljinder Kumar, ASI Lakhvir Singh (now dead), ASI Gurbachan Singh, constable Pal Singh (now dead), retired head constable Mal Singh, head constable Harinder Singh, head constable Kanwaljit Singh now deployed at Civil Lines Police Station, retired constable Tarlok Singh, dismissed home guard jawan Jagsir Singh and Home Guard jawan Jarnail Singh.

The eight policemen were accused of arresting Paramjit during the terrorism period in 1992. Though the policemen claimed to have had secret information about Paramjit’s terror activities, they failed to prove it in court.

After his arrest, he was taken to Balluana police post where he was allegedly killed. Paramjit's relatives alleged that the police then concocted a story that while he was being taken to recover a hidden AK-47, his associates fired upon the police party which facilitated his escape. The police, however, failed to explain why Paramjit was being escorted to recover a weapon in the night.