3 months on, police fail to crack Sajanpreet kidnapping case

PK Jaiswar

Amritsar, August 14

Even after a lapse of over three months and arrest of five suspects, the police have failed to recover Sajanpreet Singh who was allegedly thrashed and kidnapped by fake travel agents in Jandiala. The family members were dejected over the police probe so far.

During investigation, the police have nominated six more persons, adding more sections to the FIR. Those nominated were identified as Dalbir Singh, Mandeep Kaur, Davinder Kaur of Chohla Sahib in Tarn Taran, Gurpinder Singh of Modikhana in Jandiala Guru and Ravisher Sigh of Jania village. They were yet to be arrested.

The police had amended the FIR and added Sections 420 (cheating) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC to the case. Earlier, the police had registered a case under Section 365 of the IPC against eight persons.

“Despite the arrest of prime accused and their confession that they had thrashed Sajanpreet Singh, the police failed to find his whereabouts,” said victim’s brother Gurmit Singh, a resident of Jalalabad in Tarn Taran.

The police have arrested five persons – Gurinderpal Singh alias Bholu, Kulwinder Kaur aka Kinder, Gursahib Singh of Jania village, Manga Singh of Jandiala Guru and Ranjit Kaur of Varana village in Vairowal in Tarn Taran — in the case so far. They were currently lodged in jails. The police presented a challan against them in the court recently. The police had also booked and arrested Gurinderpal’s father Amrik Singh and mother Jasbir Kaur. However, they were later acquitted in the case during the probe.

Sajandeep was allegedly thrashed and kidnapped by illegal travel agents on May 1 when he went to demand his money back from the suspects. On the complaint of Gurmit Singh, the police had booked Gurinerpal Singh, alias Bholu, his wife Kulwinder Kaur, Ravi Singh, Saba Singh, and Amrik Singh, all of Janiyan village in Jandiala; Ranjit Kaur of Varana village in Tarn Taran; and Dalbir Singh and his wife Mandeep Kaur; and Davinder Kaur, all of Tarn Taran.

The complainant had alleged that Gurinderpal and Kulwinder were his relatives who introduced them to other accused. He alleged the accused demanded Rs 17 lakh for sending Sajanpreet to Canada. They gave token money and the remaining was transferred in various bank accounts. But they failed to send Sajandeep to Canada even one year after taking the money.

On May 1, Sajandeep went to Gurbinderpal and Kulwinder at Janiyan village to get back the money, but didn’t return. When we went there, we found the house locked. Villagers told them that the couple along with other accused thrashed Sajandeep, bundled him into a car and fled away.

Gurmit Singh said they would be forced to knock the doors of the Punjab and Haryana High Court as the police had failed to find Sajanpreet even after three months of his disappearance. The police also failed to arrest the remaining suspects who were nominated following the probe.