PATIALA, Punjab—An almost 20 year old fake encounter case has finally come to the end after the perpetrator of the crime have been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment. Namely, Prithpal Virk (SSP, Amritsar Sahib), along with Shamsher S., Avtar S. and Balbir S. (all policemen) have been sentenced. The CBI Judge also awarded three years imprisonment to Rajinder Sohal, DSP SAS Nagar and Ganda S. (policeman).
Almost 18 years ago in May 1993, Virk had illegally abducted Tejinder Singh, Budh Singh and Joga Singh from Sangrur. Prithpal Virk was positioned in Sangrur at that time. All three were illegally confined. While Budh Singh and Joga Singh were released, the police bribed the family to pay Rs. 1 lakh for the release of Tejinder Singh. Tejinder Singh was consequently shot dead in a fake encounter case since the family was not able to come up with the sum.
Court has also fined SSP Virk for Rs. 36,000 while other accused have been fined Rs. 26,000 each. All four, Prithpal Virk, Shamsher S., Avtar S. and Balbir S. were sent to Patiala jail for judicial custody. Sohal and Ganda S. were released on bail but fined Rs. 8,000 each.
The conviction of SSP Virk and others in this 18 years old fake encounter case is one of the many cases of extrajudicial killings by Punjab Police officers after the 1984 attack on Sri Harmandir Sahib. In past, other police officers have been found guilty of this crime however despite court rulings, they have been allowed to remain free.
I don’t wish to sound pessisimistic but even if they end up in prison they will be treated like VIPs whilst the innocent Sikhs languish in aweful conditions and are tortured.
I wonder if they will actually end up serving these sentences, or some where down the line find themselves unofficially released? Its amazing it got this far, but to take 18 odd years.