Fake encounters: Giani Gargaj flays body seeking relief for convicted police officers
Giani Gargaj said the families of the victims of fake encounters in 1990-94 fought a long legal battle for three decades to get the police officers convicted and punished by the CBI court
Akal Takht acting Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj on Tuesday flayed the Punjab Police Welfare Association for seeking relief, including restoration of pension for police officers convicted in fake encounter cases.
He termed as “unethical” and “unconstitutional” the association’s stance that such officials were merely following orders during the turbulent era. The association had met Governor Gulab Chand Kataria on August 22 following which Kataria had asked chief secretary KAP Sinha and DGP Gaurav Yadav to examine the matter.
Giani Gargaj said the families of the victims of fake encounters in 1990-94 fought a long legal battle for three decades to get the police officers convicted and punished by the CBI court. “Now, the government is finding excuses to release them,” he said.
“In the cases of kidnapping and extra-judicial killings of Baba Charan Singh Kar Sewa Wale, Jaswant Singh Khalra, Shaheed Bhagat Singh’s relative Kuljit Singh Dhatt, Sulakhan Singh Bhakna who contributed to India’s freedom struggle, besides many SGPC, army, police and electricity Board officials, the convicted police officers have been punished after a long legal battle. Releasing them will be another injustice to the victim families,” he said.
The Akal Takht jathedar asked the state governor that this matter is related to a long-standing human rights violation in Punjab, therefore any decision should be made according to the sentiments of Punjabis, especially Sikhs.
Referring to a media report that highlighted cops were being jailed while Sikh prisoners were being released, he termed it anti-Sikh narrative. “Media has compared such police officers with the Bandi Singhs serving sentences for decades. Bandi Singhs have spent a long time in jails but it has taken 30 years to punish the guilty police officers,” Giani Gargaj said.
He said the Punjab government should ensure that the convicted police officers serve the full sentence awarded by the CBI court.
