Court raps police for not presenting evidence

Tribune News Service

Patiala, January 16

A local court today pulled-up the Patiala police for failing to produce police personnel for the prosecution of the evidence in a case related to Rulda Singh murder. This case has been in the court since 2015.

The court of Sanjay Kumar Sachdeva, Assistant Sessions Judge, during the hearing of the case in which Ramandeep Singh Goldy and Jagtar Singh Tara are accused of being the main conspirators in murder of the former chief of Rashtriya Sikh Sangat said, “The prosecution has been granted innumerable opportunities for the conclusion of the evidence, but no prosecution witness is present in the court.”

Accused Ramandeep Singh Goldy was produced in the court in police custody while Jagtar Singh Tara was produced through video conferencing.

While rapping knuckles of the Police Department the court stated, “Prosecution is not at all bothered to conclude the evidence.”

The court also raised concern over the police deputing a different ‘parokar’ for representation on each and every date of hearing despite a letter written to the Patiala Senior Superintendent of Police in this regard.

The court stated, “No Prosecution witness is present. Innumerable opportunities have been granted to the prosecution for conclusion of evidence. But to no avail.”

Later, the court adjourned the case for January 22, 23, and 24 after assistant sub-inspector Bachitar Singh, ‘the parokar’, sought adjournment stating that the witness would be presented on the next date of hearing, failing which the evidence may deem to have been closed.

The police have yet to present witnesses, including DSP Rajinder Singh Sohal, inspector Shaminder Singh, sub-inspector Raj Kapoor, who is now a DSP, Bhupinder Singh, Hari Harpal and Sarabdeep Singh. Four witnesses are police personnel.

The case

The case pertains to murder of Rulda Singh, former chief of the Rashtriya Sikh Sangat (an affiliate of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh), who was murdered in 2009. Jagtar Singh Tara and Ramandeep Singh Goldy are accused of being the main plotters in the case. The court has meanwhile let-off five people over lack of evidence against them. Trial against Jagtar Singh Tara and Ramandeep Singh Goldy was initiated after they were nabbed from Thailand and Malaysia in 2014 and 2015, respectively.

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.