Wife, ‘eyewitness’ claim police pressure to withdraw petition

CHANDIGARH: About three months after a 35-year-old accused in a patwari murder case was killed in a “fake encounter”, the wife of the “victim” and another petitioner have claimed pressure by the police to compromise and withdraw the plea.

Saurabh Malik

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 12

About three months after a 35-year-old accused in a patwari murder case was killed in a “fake encounter”, the wife of the “victim” and another petitioner have claimed pressure by the police to compromise and withdraw the plea.

Taking up the matter, Justice Rajan Gupta asked Haryana to apprise the court on the next date of hearing about the developments after its counsel assured the Bench that the security personnel concerned would be changed forthwith.

As the case came up for resumed hearing, the state counsel prayed for another opportunity to file a status report, following which Justice Gupta granted two weeks’ time.

Before the Bench parted with the order, the counsel for the petitioners pointed out that a constable in the CIA, assigned the task of providing security to the petitioners, had been pressurising them to compromise and withdraw this petition.

Justice Gupta, on a previous date of hearing, had sought a report in sealed cover while ordering the Director General of Police to ensure that no harm was caused to the “eyewitness” to the “fake encounter”.

The directions came on a petition by Pinki, wife of “victim” Bhanwar Singh, and “eyewitness” Nikku. They were seeking investigation by the CBI or state CID into the death of Bhanwar Singh in the alleged police encounter on September 18.

The Manesar resident was allegedly involved in the killing of a patwari (revenue official) of the Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation in August.

In their petition filed through counsel Manish Soni, the petitioners stated that the “victim” had been executed by Inspector Manoj Kumar Verma of the CIA, Palam Vihar, Gurugram, and other police officials in Nikku’s presence.

The petitioners claimed that the “victim” was kidnapped from Bhairon Mandir in the Kalkaji area of New Delhi and killed in Gurugram’s Manesar area on September 18 by showing it as a police encounter.

The petitioners stated that facts could easily be verified from the footage of CCTV cameras installed in front of the temple, around the area of the Kalkaji temple and the Metro station.

The petitioners claimed that the police party took the “victim” and Nikku in separate vehicles to the fields of Sehrawan village in Gurugram. They stated that the “victim” was taken to an old room near a farmhouse before the incident. They added that Nikku managed to save his life by offering Rs 5 lakh with the assurance of not disclosing the incident to anyone.

Manesar ‘Fake encounter’ case

Bhanwar Singh, a Manesar resident, was allegedly involved in the killing of a patwari (revenue official) of the Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation in August
Bhanwar Singh was reportedly kidnapped from Bhairon Mandir in the Kalkaji area of New Delhi and killed in Gurugram’s Manesar area on September 18 by showing it as a police encounter