Mukha’s family files writ in HC

PK Jaiswar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 3

Dejected over the Punjab government’s inability in providing justice to their family, slain SAD leader Mukhjit Singh, alias Mukha’s wife has approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court to get justice.

She has demanded registration of a criminal case against the policemen who had gunned down Mukha, allegedly mistaking him to be the notorious gangster, Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, in June 2015 near Mudhal village. Besides, the family had also sought compensation and a government job as announced by Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal at that time.

The high court today issued a notice to the Punjab government and others, asking them to reply. Besides, the Punjab govenrment, the petitioner, Harjit Kaur, has also made Deputy Chief Minister, who also holds the portfolio of the Home Department, and the DGP, Punjab, a party in the case. The court has asked the government to file a reply on the next date of hearing on March 14.

Mukha was gunned down by armed police personnel near Mudhal village on June 16 while the police was hunting for notorious gangster Jagdeep Singh, alias, Jaggu Bhagwanpurian of Gurdaspur. The Punjab government formed an SIT headed by IG, investigations, Nageshwar Rao, to probe the incident. However, even after eight months, the SIT failed to submit its final report on the pretext that it was yet to get the forensic-examination reports.

The city police had suspended two officials who had led the team that killed Mukha in an encounter in July. Before this, 10 police personnel who were part of the raiding police party were transferred to other districts. The theory of mistaken identity put forth by the police was questioned by the family while the preliminary probe also found many chinks in the police claims.

In the meanwhile, the family members alleged that they were being pressured to reach a compromise. They suspected that Mukha was deliberately killed on someone’s order. Harjit Kaur, wife of the slain SAD leader, said the accused were involving their relatives and friends in order to pressure and convince them to reach a compromise with the accused personnel. She alleged that they were being given monetary allurements besides getting threats at the same time. Refusing to bow down, she said she wanted justice and that the accused policemen should be brought to the book.