M A I N   N E W S

Akali ex-leader, 4 others get life term for ASI murder
PK Jaiswar
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, August 8
A local court today sentenced a former Akali leader and four others to rigorous life imprisonment for the December 2012 murder of Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Ravinderpal Singh in broad daylight.

The court of Additional Sessions Judge Harpreet Kaur Randhawa sentenced Ranjit Singh Rana and his four accomplices to life imprisonment till death. The judge also imposed a fine of Rs 70,000 on Rana and Rs 60,000 each on the other four.

Ravinderpal was shot dead by Rana and his four accomplices — Dharambir Singh Dharma; Gurbir Singh, alias Beera; Sandeep Rampal and Vikram Ohri — while trying to protect his daughter Robinjit Kaur from the assailants. The slain ASI was posted at the Gharinda police station.

Ravinderpal’s family members, including Robinjit Kaur and wife Paramjit Kaur, who attended the sentencing expressed dissatisfaction at the verdict saying they wanted death penalty for Rana. They would now approach the higher court. “I was there when Rana killed my father. He deserves to be hanged for what he did,” said Robinjit.

She said they feared for their lives, especially after his attempt to escape from jail in January. “What was his motive? My family is scared. We want death for him,” she said. In the judgment, the judge held Rana and his accomplices guilty under Sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempted murder), and 120-B (criminal conspiracy), while Rana was also convicted under Section 27 of the Arms Act.

Special public prosecutor RK Salwan said in case of default in depositing the fine, the convicts would have to undergo six additional months of imprisonment, which would run concurrently.

An emotional Ravinderpal’s wife Paramjit Kaur said: “We want Rana hanged for the brutal killing of my husband. It has ruined our lives.”

The family members of the other four convicts held a protest and blocked the road outside the district court against the judgment. They termed the sentence “harsh” and accused the media of bias. Rana’s family members were also part of the protest.

Heavy security was deployed at the courts complex. A team of Amritsar rural police headed by an Inspector-rank officer escorted the slain ASI’s family to the court. The killing occurred at a busy marketplace in the Chheharta area of Amritsar on December 5, 2012, when Robinjit was returning home and spotted Rana and his accomplices, who used to tease and stalk her. She called up her father, who reached the scene in police uniform and confronted the accused.

Rana allegedly pulled out a revolver and opened fire, injuring Ravinderpal and his daughter. The five then escaped in a jeep only to return a few minutes later with another weapon.

They subsequently shot ASI Ravinderpal in the chest in full public view. The ASI was taken to a local hospital where he was declared dead.