Bhagwant Mann Cabinet rejects move for early release of Jassi's killer
Jupinderjit Singh
Chandigarh, April 29
The Cabinet thwarted an attempt for the premature release of the main contract killer in the infamous Jassi honour killing case on Friday.
Details about the meeting, which emerged today, revealed that the Prisons Department had recommended the premature release of 21 convicts. The Cabinet, led by CM Bhagwant Mann, rejected only the case of Anil Kumar, an accused in the Jassi case.
Kumar had got interim bail in the case a few months ago. He has spent over 11 years in the jail. Kumar, along with dismissed Sub-Inspector Joginder Singh and accomplice Ashwani Kumar, was convicted for life by the Supreme Court in May 2015. Joginder Singh had got premature release on May 27, 2016, during the SAD-BJP regime while Ashwani Kumar was released prematurely during the Congress regime on March 19, 2021.
The main conspirators were Jassi’s mother Malkiat Kaur and maternal uncle Surjit Singh Badesha, who were Canadian citizens and were extradited for the alleged crime in January 2018 to face trial in India. Their case is still under trial in the Sangrur sessions court. Kumar was hired as the contract killer along with SI Joginder Singh. The murder of Jassi, a Canada born Indian girl, took place on June 8, 2000.
Jassi had married Sukhwinder Singh Mithu of Kaunke Khosa in Jagraon in April 1999. Her mother Malkiat Kaur and uncle Badesha, who were against the match, had already barred her from talking to Mithu. They told her that Mithu was feigning love just to migrate to Canada. When they learnt about their secret wedding, they got Mithu booked in March 2000 on charges of kidnapping and forcible wedding.
The girl somehow escaped from Canada and reached India to give a statement in favour of Mithu. The couple then applied to move to Canada, but 12 killers waylaid them near Narike village near Malerkotla. They stabbed Mithu, leaving him for dead in the fields. Out of the 12, only three were convicted by the Supreme Court. They then took Jassi to a house where they made Jassi talk to her mother in Canada over the phone. Police investigation says Jassi’s mother ordered her killing.
Sources said all Cabinet ministers in the meeting at Ludhiana yesterday objected when Kumar’s case was put up and mention of Jassi case was made. Mann put his foot down saying Jassi’s killing was one of the most heinous incidents in the recent times and his government would not release convicts in the case.
Interestingly, the remission case came just two days after Mithu, the husband of Jassi and witness to her kidnapping and murder, was released on bail in a three-year-old NDPS Act case. This case was incidentally the seventh case against him. He was acquitted in six other cases of rape, brawl, illicit liquor and drugs. “I have faced threats all these years and letting loose the main killer, without any intimation to me is a travesty of justice,” said Mithu.
Authorities did not object
The attempt for Anil Kumar’s release is shocking as no one from the Ludhiana Central Jail, district administration, police or senior officers objected to the request for remission
Won’t let criminals go scot-free
The world is watching the Indian police and justice delivery system in this case. The AAP govt will never let criminals go scot-free. — A minister
