Ex-SHO gets 10-year RI in 1992 abduction, disappearance case

Court will pronounce the quantum of sentence today

- Nikhil Sharma

MOHALI: Thirty-two years after two special police officers (SPOs) of Punjab Police were abducted and killed in a staged encounter by Tarn Taran police in Behla Orchard there, a special CBI court on Monday convicted three cops, including the then station house officer (SHO), sub-inspector (SI) and assistant sub-inspector (ASI) for murder.

CBI special judge, Mohali, Rakesh Gupta convicted Gurbachan Singh, the then sub-inspector and SHO of Tarn Taran city police station under Sections 302 (murder), 364 (abducting someone for the purpose of murder), 343 (wrongful confinement for three or more days) and 218 (public servants who create incorrect records or writings with the intent to cause harm or save someone from punishment) of Indian Penal Code (IPC). Gurbachan retired as deputy superintendent of police (DSP).

The court also convicted Resham Singh, the then SI posted at the said police station, and Hans Raj, the then ASI, under Sections 302, 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 218 IPC. While Resham retired as inspector, Hans Raj retired from the post of sub-inspector. During the course of trial, accused Arjun Singh died in December 2021 and proceedings against him were abated.

The court will pronounce the quantum of sentence on Tuesday.

Anmol Narang, public prosecutor for the CBI, averred that the accused police officers staged a planned and cold-blooded murder and wrongly projected it to be a legitimate encounter by manipulating police files.

The case was investigated by the CBI in compliance with the orders dated November 15, 1995, passed by the Supreme Court of India in criminal writ petition No 497 of 1995 titled as "Paramjit Kaur Vs State of Punjab".

The apex court passed these orders in the matter of cremation of large scale unclaimed bodies by Punjab Police officials.