Punjab Police takes custody of accused in Jassi honour killing case

Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 20

A three-member Punjab Police team took custody of the two prime accused in the sensational Jassi honour killing case earlier on Wednesday.

The team is on way to India. The accused, Malkiat Kaur and Surjit Singh Badesha, mother and maternal uncle of Jassi, are likely to be produced before a Sangrur judge on Thursday.

The team comprises Kanwardeep Kaur, SP Headquartes, Patiala; Akashdeep Singh Aulakh, DSP, Dhuri; and Inspector Deepinder Pal Singh.

The extradition was made possible after the British Columbia Supreme Court ordered the extradition earlier this month 17 years after the gruesome murder.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

Jassi and her husband Sukhwinder Singh Mithu of Kaunke Khosa in Jagraon were attacked on June 8, 2000 near Malerkotla by contract killers allegedly hired by Jassi’s mother and uncle. Jassi died while Mithu survived.

Surjit Badesha and Malkiat Kaur will face charges of conspiracy to kill Jassi and Mithu as per the FIR registered under Sections 302, 307, 364, 148, 149 and 120-B of the IPC.

Jassi, a Canadian-born Indian girl who lived in Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada, fell in love with Mithu of Kaunke Khosa when she was visiting her maternal uncle Surjit Badesha along with her mother Malkiat Kaur.

Jassi’s parents didn’t approve of their relationship but Jassi insisted and got married with Mithu in March 2000 against the wishes of her family.

The couple stayed at various places till June 8 of the same year when 14 contract killers allegedly hired by Jassi’s mother and uncle waylaid them near Malerkotla. Mithu was left for dead while Jassi was kidnapped and made to talk to her mother. As per the statements of the contract killers, Jassi’s mother asked her to return to Canada and remarry. As Jassi refused, she was murdered.