Revoke pardon to cops in fake encounter case: SAD

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 3

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today urged Punjab Governor VP Singh Badnore to revoke pardon granted to four cops who had abducted and murdered a 22-year-old Sikh youth in a fake encounter. The party also demanded a thorough probe to expose the conspiracy behind the “illegal and illogical recommendation”.

SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal met the Governor as the head of a delegation of senior leaders accompanied by SGPC president Gobind Singh Longowal as well as the father and sister of the victim, Harjit Singh, who was murdered by the four cops.

He said the four cops were awarded life imprisonment in December 2014, by the Special Judge, CBI, 18 years after the Punjab and Haryana High Court referred the case to the central agency for investigation. He said it was noteworthy that the convicts had appealed against the judgment and that appeal was pending before the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Pointing out various facets of the case, Sukhbir said the Punjab government had not carried out its constitutional duty and not briefed the Governor appropriately about the case.

Harsimrat slams govt on insurance scheme 

Chandigarh: Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Wednesday lambasted the Congress government for failing to provide its much-hyped health cover to people after refusing to implement the central health insurance scheme, Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), on the pretext of providing an equally beneficial scheme to the state, the so-called Sarbat Sehat Bima Yojna. She said Punjab Health Minister should apologise to Punjabis for deceiving them with fake assurances of implementing the scheme from July 1. TNS