Punjab news: Witnesses claimed harassment, threats during Khalra murder trial

The legal battle that eventually led to the conviction of police personnel in the abduction and murder of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra was marked by repeated attempts to intimidate key witnesses and others associated with the case.

The case has once again come into focus amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the film Satluj, based on Khalra’s life and struggle.

Several witnesses and supporters of the Khalra family allegedly faced threats, while some were implicated in criminal cases over the years, including charges of reviving terrorism and even rape. Many of these cases were later found to be false, quashed after investigation or ended in acquittals following prolonged legal battles.

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In April 1998, the Sultanpur Lodhi police registered a case against Khalra’s widow Paramjit Kaur, his friends Surinder Singh Ghariala, Gurbhej Singh Palasaur, Rajiv Singh and Balwinder Singh Chabhal. They were accused of allegedly bribing Special Police Officer (SPO) Kuldeep Singh to make a false statement in the Khalra case. However, the case was cancelled within a few weeks following the intervention of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which was probing Khalra’s murder.

A few months later, in July 1998, another FIR was registered against Rajiv Singh, advocate Sarabjit Singh Verka, who was assisting the Khalra family, and Rashpal Singh, accusing them of involvement in terrorist activities. The allegations were later examined in an inquiry conducted by an officer of the rank of Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) on the recommendation of the Punjab Human Rights Commission (PHRC).

The inquiry concluded that the case had been registered because of their association with the Khalra case and found the allegations to be false. The PHRC subsequently recommended cancellation of the case and action against the police personnel concerned. However, the Punjab Government did not implement the recommendations. The accused were later acquitted by a local court and were awarded compensation in 2007, nine years after the FIR was registered.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch also wrote to the Punjab Government, urging it not to register false cases against those associated with the matter. The issue was also raised in the UK House of Commons with the Indian High Commission.

In another instance, in 2003, a rape case was registered against Kirpal Singh Randhawa, an eyewitness in the Khalra case, who has since passed away. After a full trial, the court acquitted him of all charges, ruling that the prosecution had failed to prove its case. The court later awarded him compensation of Rs 49 lakh for malicious prosecution.

“Such prosecutions were intended to pressurise witnesses, weaken the prosecution and discourage those pursuing justice,” said advocate Sarabjit Singh Verka, who was associated with the case. Despite the alleged intimidation and prolonged legal battle, key witnesses stood by their testimonies, ultimately contributing to the conviction of several police personnel in the Khalra case, he added.