Akali leader, 2 dismissed cops get life term in Ludhiana's Jamalpur 'encounter'

Legal Correspondent

Ludhiana, October 10

The court of Additional Sessions Judge Raj Kumar Garg has sentenced an Akali leader Gurjeet Singh and two dismissed cops to life imprisonment in the Jamalpur fake encounter case in which two Dalit brothers were killed in 2014 over rivalry with the leader.

Two POs at large

• Accused Baldev Singh acquitted on benefit of doubt
• Inspector Manjinder Singh & Sukhbir Singh of Payal, declared proclaimed offenders long back, still at large

Looking back

• Sept 27, 2014: Dalit brother duo gunned down on rented premises at Ahluwalia Colony, Jamalpur
• Sept 29: DGP sets up SIT, suspends then SSP, Khanna, Harsh Bansal; Inspector Manjinder Singh, SHO, Machhiwara, and Constable Yadwinder dismissed from service
• Dec 9: Police file chargesheet
• Jan 21, 2015: Charges framed
• Oct 4, 2022: Akali leader and two dismissed cops held guilty
• Oct 10: Court awards life imprisonment to the three convicts

Those sentenced are Akali leader Gurjeet Singh, alias Sam, a former Zila Parishad member and sarpanch of Khokra village, Machhiwara, former Constable Yadwinder Singh of Sahjo Majra village, Machhiwara, and former Home Guards jawan Ajit Singh of Garhi village, Machhiwara.

A fine of Rs 1,09,000 was also imposed on the convicts. Of the fine, Rs 1 lakh will be paid as compensation to the victims’ family. The brothers, Harinder Singh (23), alias Lalli, and Jatinder Singh (25), alias Goldy, residents of Bhohapur village, Macchiwara, were killed at a rented accommodation at Ahluwalia Colony in the Jamalpur area of Ludhiana on September 27, 2014.

Additional Public Prosecutor Pooja Singal said the prosecution had examined 46 witnesses to prove the guilt of the accused. The star witness of the prosecution was Head Constable Ashwani Kumar, who was driving the vehicle in which the police party raided the house and killed the two brothers. However, the complainant and two more witnesses had turned hostile.

On October 4, the court had held the two dismissed cops and the sarpanch guilty in the fake encounter case.

One of the accused, Baldev Singh, a former Home Guards jawan, was acquitted giving him the benefit of the doubt. Inspector Manjinder Singh and Sukhbir Singh of Payal were declared proclaimed offenders in the case long back and are still at large.

According to the prosecution, sarpanch Gurjeet Singh (associated with the SAD) killed the brothers with his revolver when the police party conducted a raid to arrest the brothers in an attempt-to-murder case.

The police had registered a case on a statement of Harpreet Kaur, owner of the house.

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