A special CBI court in Mohali has sentenced two former Punjab Police officers to life imprisonment for their involvement in a fake encounter case dating back to 1992. The encounter resulted in the deaths of two individuals, Baldev Singh and Lakhwinder Singh, in Amritsar. The verdict, delivered on Tuesday by Special CBI Judge Rakesh Gupta, also imposed a fine of ₹2 lakh each on the convicted officers.
The court found former station house officer (SHO) Gurbhinder Singh and former assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Parshotam Singh guilty under sections 302 (murder) and 218 (public servant framing incorrect records) of the Indian Penal Code. Both were convicted for orchestrating the staged encounter that falsely labeled the victims as dangerous terrorists.
According to police claims at the time, Baldev Singh and Lakhwinder Singh were branded as hardcore terrorists with substantial bounties on their heads. They were accused of involvement in multiple heinous crimes, including murder, extortion, dacoity, and the killing of Harbhajan Singh, son of Gurmej Singh, who was a cabinet minister in the Beant Singh-led Punjab government.
However, subsequent investigations revealed that the allegations against the two victims were fabricated. The encounter was exposed as fake during a detailed probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), following a Supreme Court directive issued in 1995 to investigate allegations of large-scale cremation of unclaimed bodies by Punjab Police during the militancy period.
Baldev Singh, who served as a Lance Naik in the Indian Army, was on leave at the time of the incident. He was abducted from his home in Baserke Bhaini village on September 6, 1992, by a police team led by then sub-inspector (SI) Mohinder Singh and Chheharta SHO Harbhajan Singh.
Similarly, Lakhwinder Singh, a resident of Sultanwind village, was forcibly taken on September 12, 1992, along with another individual, Kulwant Singh. This operation was led by then Majitha SHO Gurbhinder Singh. Kulwant Singh was later released, but Lakhwinder was falsely implicated and subsequently killed.
The CBI inquiry revealed that Baldev and Lakhwinder were falsely accused of involvement in the murder of Harbhajan Singh, Gurmej Singh’s son. Both victims were killed in a staged encounter in Sansara village, Majitha, on September 13, 1992.
The investigation further uncovered serious lapses in the police records, as the officers had manipulated evidence to portray the encounter as legitimate. This included fabricating false charges to justify their actions.
The trial of the accused officers stretched over several years. While Gurbhinder Singh and Parshotam Singh faced trial and were eventually convicted, several other accused officers, including Harbhajan Singh and Mohinder Singh, passed away during the legal proceedings. Additionally, former deputy superintendent of police S.S. Sidhu and former inspector Chaman Lal were acquitted by the court due to insufficient evidence against them.
The special CBI court emphasized the gravity of the crime, noting that the misuse of power by law enforcement officers erodes public trust in the justice system. The judgment was seen as a step toward holding individuals accountable for abuses of power during Punjab’s tumultuous militancy period in the 1980s and 1990s.
The conviction highlights the importance of judicial oversight in cases of human rights violations. It also serves as a reminder of the need for accountability in law enforcement, especially during times of political unrest or conflict.
This landmark verdict brings partial closure to a decades-old case and reinforces the principle that no one is above the law. While justice has been served for Baldev Singh and Lakhwinder Singh, the case remains a stark reminder of the excesses committed during a dark chapter in Punjab’s history.
