INSO leader Pardeep Khatkar’s ‘murder’: All accused walk free

Ramkrishan Upadhyay

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 7

A local court has acquitted all 12 accused arrested in a five-year-old alleged murder case of INSO leader Pardeep Khatkar, who, along with his friends, was allegedly attacked by a group of youths in Sector 44 here on January 8, 2016.

The victim succumbed to his injuries around six months after the attack following which a murder case was registered against the accused. Those acquitted have been identified as Sachin Nehra, alias Dholia, Raghav Sood, Jitender Singh, alias Jeetu, Harjeet Maan Singh, Virender, alias Veeru, Sunny, Harvinder, alias Herry, Amandeep, alias Aman, Gaurav Singh Rana, Narinder Gujjar, Sanjeev Malik and Sanjay Kumar, alias Boxer.

The police had arrested the accused after registering an FIR against them for the offences committed under Sections 147, 148, 149, 323, 325, 307, 427 and 506 added with 302 of the IPC and Sections 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act at the Sector 34 police station here on January 8, 2016.

The case was registered on a complaint of Mohinder Singh, a resident of Seenk village, Panipat district, Haryana. In the complaint, Mohinder alleged that on January 8, Pardeep, along with others, came to the District Courts, Sector 43, for hearing in a case. After the hearing, they went to Sector 44 where the accused allegedly attacked them with sharp weapons. Pardeep Khatkar received serious injuries and later succumbed to his injuries on June 17, 2016.

The accused pleaded not guilty and claimed trial when charges were framed against them in the court. The prosecution examined more than 21 witnesses. When examined under Section 313 of the CrPC, the accused pleaded innocence and claimed that they had been falsely implicated in the case.

After hearing the arguments, Additional Sessions Judge Anshu Shukla said complainant Mohinder Singh died. Hence, he did not come to the witness box to prove the allegations against the accused. The court said the complainant, Mohinder, was the best witness to substantiate the allegations levelled by him against the accused, but he could not appear in the court. Hence, the prosecution case failed on this score alone.

After the death of the complainant, the entire prosecution story was relied upon the testimony of prosecution witness Prince Cheema, but he did not support the prosecution version. The witness did not identify the accused persons.

He categorically stated that when they were having juice in the Sector 44-D market, some persons attacked them suddenly from behind. He also said he fell unconscious and did not know who had attacked him. He cannot identify any of the accused present in the court.

This witness did not identify the accused persons present in the court. In these circumstances, there is virtually no evidence on record to link the accused with the crime. As a result of the aforesaid discussion, it is held that the prosecution had utterly failed to prove the charges against the accused. As a result, the accused are acquitted of the charges framed against them.

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