Four months after former minister of the ruling Akali Dal, Bibi Jagir Kaur, was convicted and jailed for five years rigorous imprisonment by a CBI court, Kaur was granted parole for four weeks on Wednesday.
Kaur has been in jail since March 30, the day she was convicted by the CBI Patiala court for forcible abortion, wrongful confinement, abduction and criminal conspiracy in a case relating to the disappearance and murder of her daughter Harpreet Kaur a decade ago.However, Kaur, who was also president of Shiromani Akali Dal (SGPC), was absolved of charges of murdering her daughter. Kaur reached home at Begowal village after her was released from jail.The 57-year old Akali Dal leader had to resign after her conviction. Days after she was lodged in a Punjab jail, she courted controversy after reports emerged that she was given special treatment by jail officials. Senior officials requesting anonymity said seeking parole after a period was the right of a convict. Sources said she was released under provisions of the Punjab Good Conduct Prisoners (Temporary Release) Act, which permits release of convicts after completion of four months in prison if they show “good” conduct. Her release was also unlikely to disturb order outside the jail. Kaur’s daughter Harpreet alias Rosy had died under mysterious circumstances in 2000. She was cremated at Begowal — Kaur’s native village in Punjab’s Kapurthala district — a day after her death without post-mortem examination or initiating inquest proceedings. Kamaljit Singh, a boy from the same village, who claimed to have married Bibi’s daughter, moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court a week later, alleging Kaur of her involvement in the girl’s murder. Kamaljit claimed that their marriage had been the reason of Harpreet’s death.