Khaira holds Capt. Amarinder Singh and the Badals equally responsible for miscarriage of
justice by pardoning four police officers responsible for
cold blooded murder of Harjit Singh in a fake encounter in 1993

Bathinda, July 20,2019
NRIpress.club/Ramesh/ A.Gary Singh

PEP President and Bholath MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira while releasing RTI information related to pardon granted to four convicted police officers of which three belong to Uttar Pradesh police, held both Capt. Amarinder Singh and the Badal governments responsible for the blatant case of miscarriage of justice in the cold blooded fake encounter murder of an Amritdhari Dalit Sikh Harjit Singh of Saharan Majra village in Ludhiana district, in the year 1993.

Khaira said as per RTI information it was on 02.11.2016 that Mithilesh Singh wife of killer Ravinder Kumar Singh and others submitted pardon petitions to the Governor, copies of which were received by the Additional Chief Secretary Home Affairs and Jails, vide dairy no. 294 dated 02.11.2016.

Khaira said he was attaching a list of dates and events beginning 02.11.2016 – 21.05.2019 when Capt. Amarinder Singh CM recommended the erroneous and inhuman pardon to killers in uniform, after merely serving four and half years of jail sentence originally convicted for life imprisonment by a special CBI court on 01.12.2014. Finally the Governor Punjab granted formal pardon to convicted killer police officers on 11.06.2019

Khaira said a close perusal of dates and events clearly shows that Sukhbir Badal the then Dy.CM cum Home Minister and his father Sh. Badal then CM, are equally responsible for murder and rape of justice with the family of deceased Harjit Singh.

Khaira said it was during their regime that the pardon file moved from 02.11.2016 to 08.03.2017 before they demitted office. Khaira said in case the junior Badal who is now shedding crocodile tears was genuinely opposed to this inhuman act of pardon, he as Home Minister could have rejected the pardon petition that was received in his department alongwith copy of CBI court judgement on 02.11.2016 itself. It means the Home department under the junior Badal was well aware of the facts that led to the conviction of killer cops.

Khaira said the letter dated 15.02.2017 written by the then DGP Suresh Arora a blue eyed officer and common DGP of both Badals and Capt. Amarinder Singh who has now been rewarded as CIC Punjab, is worth severe condemnation as it is a literal dictation to the ADGP Jails that led to grant of pardon to killer cops, as all other officers were dithering to commit this inhuman blunder. Khaira said the then DGP wilfully ignored the fact that a CBI court after 18 years of trial and incriminating evidence had sentenced these killer cops for life, yet he wrote that“However petitioners (killer cops) as well as their families are facing mental agony and physical, social and financial hardships for the last about two decades and diligent discharge of their duty without any personal or corrupt motive.” Mr. Suresh Arora could feel the agony of killers but had no sympathy with the poorest of poor Dalit family who cannot afford two square meals a day. Mohinder Singh father of the deceased is now staying with his daughter also Harjit Kaur a daily wager.

Khaira said this heartless officer further justifies and propagates this pardon a step “to promote rule of law, people’s welfare and public interest.” The said DGP finally sent his consent vide letter no. 159/Lit-4 dated 21.12.2017 stating it is a fit case for pardon, said Khaira.

The logic of then DGP Suresh Arora that the killer cops had no “personal or corrupt motive” stands trashed and debunked by the findings of hon’ble judge of the Special CBI court on page no. 104 of the judgement, while holding the accused guilty of a stage managed fake encounter he states “The motive of the accused is writ large on the file that they wanted to murder Harjit Singh to earn awards and rewards for themselves.” Khaira said by blatantly shielding and favouring the killer cops the DGP has committed a grave constitutional error by overriding the judiciary.

Khaira said similarly the tutored ADGP Jails while recommending pardon to the killer cops vide his letter dated 01.05.2019 writes “The convict has appealed against judgement of his conviction and order of sentence, but the chances of acquittal in near future are quite slender.” Khaira said in other words the ADGP Jails knew fully well that the killer cops will never be freed other than the grant of pardon, hence the top police officials and their political bosses conspired to grant the said illegitimate pardon.

Khaira said although officers of the Home and Jail department initially dithered to categorically recommend grant of pardon to killers in uniform, it is the role of Badals, the common DGP Suresh Arora, ADGP Jails and finally Capt. Amarinder Singh who stamped this unlawful pardon vide noting dated 21.05.2019. Khaira said the erroneous pardon has been granted by Punjab government despite an order dated 28.05.2013 by the Principal Secretary of then Governor Punjab “that in cases where appeal is pending before apex court, cannot be considered for pardon till the disposal of appeal” reproduced by Home department vide noting dated 11.04.2017, that in this case the appeal by convicts is pending in the High Court.

Khaira said it was saddening to state that Capt. Amarinder Singh in his earlier tenure as CM had recommended unlawful pardon to DSP Jaspal and DSP Swaran Dass vide government order dated 04.10.2005 (page 297 of correspondence, copy attached). And also recommended pardon to five killer cops S.K. Singh SP etc. to the West Bengal Governor dated 23.05.2003, all of whom were convicted for life in similar stage managed fake encounters of Sikh youth. Khaira termed the draconian act of Capt. Amarinder Singh as anti human and anti Sikh.

Khaira said that in this case Article 161 of the Constitution has been blatantly misused by the office of Governor Punjab despite his own office order dated 28.05.2013, successive CM’s Sh. Badal and Capt. Amarinder Singh have thrown to the winds principle of natural justice, humanity and kindness and have wrongfully misinterpreted the law to grant the said inhuman pardon to police officers, responsible for extra judicial killing in cold blood through a fake encounter of a young Amritdhari Dalit boy of their own state, own community and their own religion. The said powerful people may scot free in the courts of law but will never be spared in the court of god, for committing such a heinous crime and miscarriage of justice. This unlawful, inhuman and arbitrary act of the said powerful politicians cum police officers is nothing but inflicting state sponsored terrorism upon the family of the deceased poor young boy and the Sikhs at large.

Khaira announced that he will help the father of deceased Harjit Singh to move the hon’ble High Court to challenge this unlawful, unconstitutional and inhuman pardon granted by powerful politicians and police officers by misusing their authority and by twisting the constitution.