Jassi murder case: 21 years after murder of Canadian citizen, cross examination concludes

Parvesh Sharma

Tribune News Service

Sangrur, November 3

Over 21 years after the murder of his wife and Canadian citizen Jaswinder Kaur alias Jassi, the cross examination of Mithu concluded here in a local court on Wednesday.

A battery of lawyers from Punjab and Haryana High Court from the defence side, including Simrandeep Singh Sandhu, P S Brar and Arshdeep Bhardwaz, questioned Mithu for around two-and-a-half- hours about the murder and he replied to the best of his knowledge.

“On Wednesday we have completed the cross examination of Mithu. We asked him questions in the court of Smriti Dhir, Additional District and Sessions Judge, Sangrur. To many questions, he said he does not remember,” said advocate Sandhu.

But advocates from prosecution side, including Ashwani Chaudhary and Raj Kumar Goyal, said Mitu gave all replies properly. “Mithu strongly gave all replies and supported the version of prosecution. Court has fixed November 22 as the next date of hearing,” Chaudhary said.

Jassi had married Mithu secretly in March 1999 against the wishes of her family.

In June 2000, contract killers had allegedly attacked the couple near Narike village under Amargarh police station of Sangrur, killing Jassi on spot. Mithu survived with serious injuries and they threw Jassi’s body into a canal.

Amargarh police had initially registered a case under Sections 307 (attempt to murder) and 364 (Kidnapping) of IPC, but after the recovery of Jassi’s body, Section 302 was added and FIR was registered against nine persons.

In January 2019, Canadian police handed over both relatives of the deceased, including Canadian residents Malkiat Kaur (70), mother of Jassi, and her maternal uncle Surjit Singh Badesha (75), to Sangrur police. Surjeet was brought from Kapurthala jail on Wednesday here while Malkit had got bail from the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

“I have been facing threats from the relatives of my deceased wife and police have been registering false cases against me. But I have faith in Indian Judicial system and I would get justice soon,” Mithu said outside of court. 

He is facing a separate trial under the NDPS Act and has been in Ludhiana jail. He  was brought to Sangrur on Wednesday.

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