Moga Senior Superintendent of Police Surjeet Singh Grewal and six others accused of killing a 20-year-old youth in a fake encounter in 1989 were acquitted by a CBI court today that granted them ‘benefit of the doubt’. The court found several loopholes in the CBI’s case, resulting in the acquittal.
The verdict shattered 73-year-old Tarlochan Singh, father of victim Kulwinder Singh, alias Kid, who fought a legal battle for 23 years, alleging that the policemen killed his son in a fake encounter.
“I have been waiting for justice ever since the death of my son. My entire life has been spent moving from one court to another. Justice has not prevailed and the verdict has left me shattered,” he said.
The CBI court had in 2010 slapped the murder charge against the then Punjab SP (Vigilance) Surjit Singh Grewal and SI Amarjit Singh. Earlier in 2002, the court had framed an abduction case against the two while a murder case was lodged against five other policemen – Birbal Das, Gurcharan Singh, Nikka Ram, Chanan Singh and Dayal Singh. It was alleged that Grewal, then posted as Inspector, Crime (CIA), Patiala, and Amarjit Singh , along with other CIA personnel, raided a house in Mohali’s Phase V on July 22, 1989, while searching for terrorists Dhyan Singh, Kulwinder Singh and Jagbir Singh, alias Panjola.
During the raid, Palwinder, Kid’s acquaintance, was shot dead. Kid was picked up by the raiding party. Later, he was killed in a ‘fake’ encounter on the Tangori-Kurda road under the Sohana police station. Of the seven policemen accused of the crime, Birbal Das died during the course of trial.
During the course of arguments in 2010, the CBI pleaded before the court that the murder charge must also be slapped against Grewal and Amarjit Singh.
Defence counsel Rajan Malhotra said Kulwinder’s body was never found. “The victim is still a proclaimed offender of the Ropar court. Kid’s father Tarlochan Singh had filed a petition in the High Court in September 1989 for production of his son, who, according to him, had died two months ago. There was no material evidence in the case to prove the murder charge,” he added.
Timeline
* July 22, 1989: Kulwinder Singh allegedly killed in fake encounter
* April 24, 1995: Court directs CBI to register a case
* 2002: Court frames charges of abduction against Grewal and Amarjit; five other policemen booked for murder
* 2010: Charges of murder slapped against Grewal and Amarjit too
* 2012: All accused acquitted of charges
