Hounded by cops for years, he’s now hopeful of justice

Ruchika M Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 17

It takes grit and belief in one’s righteousness to take on the high and mighty. And who would know it better than Mohan Singh, a patwari in the Revenue Department who confronted “dreaded” police officers of the state.

Mohan Singh was implicated in a false case, his turban was tossed, he was sodomised and the act filmed in custody before he was thrown in jail — all because he dared to ask then SSP Shiv Kumar Sharma to pay a fee of Rs 20 for getting a ‘jamabandi’ (land record) in 2009. “I never knew that discharging my duty as a patwari and asking a powerful person to pay the fee fixed by the government would upset my life,” he says.

The then Akali BJP government apparently chose to turn a blind eye to the injustices meted out to him, even as he continued his battle against cops known for committing excesses during the days of terrorism.

When the incident happened, Sharma was officiating as the SSP (Vigilance) without having been granted an extension post retirement. “I brought the matter to the notice of then CMParkash Singh Badal, who claimed that the officer had not been granted extension. However, the Council of Ministers (in December 2011) okayed his extension. The case was sent to the Governor for approval. However, since the code of conduct for the Assembly polls came into force, the move was scuttled,” he recalls, showing documents obtained under the RTI Act.

“Sharma enjoyed the patronage of a powerful top cop. No wonder the other accused police officers connived with him to implicate me in a paddy scam,” says Mohan Singh.

Later, when the Patwar Union of Punjab raised its voice against these officers, the top cop tried to strike a compromise, he adds. “They exerted extreme pressure on my family, but I refused to give in and chose to carry on with my struggle. These people were indicted in an inquiry conducted by IAS officer KS Pannu, but no action was taken,” he rues.

Mohan Singh says his determination to take the fight to its logical conclusion has paid off, as justice finally seems round the corner. A lookout notice has been issued against Sharma. Surjit Singh Grewal, already arrested in a case of disproportionate assets, was on Tuesday remanded in custody in the Mohan Singh case. Jaspal Singh, Banarasi Dass, SPS Virk and Ishar Singh are likely to be arrested soon.

Mohan Singh says he has finally got closure. He advises people to never give up if they are on the right side of the law.

Fighting since 2009

Patwari Mohan Singh was implicated in a false case, his turban was tossed, he was sodomised and the act filmed in custody before he was thrown in jail - all because he dared to ask then SSP Shiv Kumar Sharma to pay a fee of Rs 20 for getting a ‘jamabandi’ (land record) in 2009. He claims that the then Akali-BJP government chose to turn a blind eye to the injustices meted out to him. The accused have now been booked.