Cops convicted for murder, Punjab recommends pardon

A decision to recommend pardon to four convicted cops, who abducted and killed an innocent Sikh youth in 1993 to secure out of turn promotions has triggered a controversy in Punjab.

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and other political outfits today slammed Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh for the move. SAD President Sukhbir Badal said his party will fight tooth and nail to get this unjust order overturned.

Expressing solidarity with the family of Harjit Singh of Saharan Majra village in Ludhiana, who was abducted and killed by the four cops, Badal said the Congress government and Capt Amarinder Singh had committed another atrocity on the Sikh community by granting pardon to the killer cops.

“I assure the aggrieved family which fought for 18 years to get justice that its struggle will not go in vain. The SAD will now take up the fight of the family on behalf of the Sikh community and ensure justice is delivered in the case.”

Punjab Ekta Party chief Sukhpal Khaira also condemned the recommendation to pardon the convicted cops. Sukhbir Badal disclosed that a high-level SAD delegation would approach union home minister Amit Shah soon and request him to overturn the illegal pardon granted to the four cops.

“The pardon, which has been granted only four-and-half years after the cops were awarded life imprisonment following a 18-year investigation and court trail by the CBI, is akin to rubbing salt on the wounds of the Sikh community,” he said.

Khaira also said that his party will urge the home minister to order an inquiry into the circumstances which led to the grant of the illegal pardon to the four cops, and fix responsibility for this serious misuse of the power given to the state under Article 161 of the Constitution.

The case against the cops was thoroughly examined by the CBI after the Punjab and Haryana high court entrusted it with probing the death of Harjit, following a plea by his father Mohinder Singh. A Special CBI court awarded the cops them life imprisonment.