Faridkot court refuses to close evidence in 9-year-old 'fake encounter' case

In a nine-year-old alleged fake encounter case of Kabaddi player Ajmer Singh, the Faridkot district court on Wednesday refused to close the prosecution evidence even though the complainants in the case have turned hostile.

Earlier this month, the court had framed murder and conspiracy charges against six accused – four Punjab Police personnel and two Bathinda-based liquor contractors, including Amarjit Singh Mehta, the current president of the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA).

The case dates back to May 2016, when Ajmer Singh alias Jimmi was killed during a late-night patrol by Jaitu police. While the police claimed he was shot in self-defence after opening fire on them, complainants alleged that the killing was stage-managed at the behest of liquor contractors Mehta and Dharampal Singh due to business rivalry.

Additional Sessions Judge Dinesh Kumar Wadhwa declined the public prosecutor’s request to close prosecution evidence after two prime witnesses, including complainant Manjit Kaur, turned hostile.

The court observed that the key issue of whether the encounter was genuine or staged still needed to be examined in depth.

“The court cannot remain a mute spectator. It must actively ensure that justice is done,” the order stated, directing that several eyewitnesses, officials, and a judicial magistrate who had earlier inquired into the case be summoned for testimony.

The court was of the view that the prosecution evidence should not have been closed merely on the ground that Manjit Kaur and Sukhwinder Kaur, two of the witnesses have not supported their versions given in the complaint. Hence, prosecution is directed to examine the witnesses as mentioned in the list of witnesses by the complainant.

The next hearing is scheduled for September 12, when fresh witnesses will be examined.