1993 fake encounter case: 3 former cops sentenced 3-8 yrs of RI with fines, two acquitted

Victim Palwinder Singh's daughter Bhupinder Kaur has expressed her “dissatisfaction” over the verdict.Victim Palwinder Singh's daughter Bhupinder Kaur expressed her “dissatisfaction” over the verdict. Thirty years after a Phagwara resident was killed in a fake police encounter in 1993, a Special CBI Court in Mohali on Saturday sentenced three former Punjab Police officers to three to eight years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) with fines and acquitted two constables of all charges.Delivering judgment, Special Judge-II Baljinder Singh Sra held Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Karamjit Singh, former Inspector Manjit Singh and former Sub-Inspector Gurmej Singh guilty of the crime and acquitted Constables Kashmir Singh and Harjit Singh of all charges.

- 

The court framed charges under sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy), read with 342 (wrongful confinement), 364 (kidnapping or abducting in order to murder) and 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) — charges under IPC sections 342 and 364 were applied to certain accused. After a detailed trial, the court sentenced Karamjit Singh (then ASI) to three years of RI and a fine of Rs 50,000 under IPC Section 120-B read with Section 364 and one year of RI under IPC Section 342; Manjit Singh (then Inspector) to eight years of RI and a fine of Rs 50,000 under IPC Section 364, also 5 years of RI and a fine of Rs 50,000 under IPC Section 120-B and one year of RI under IPC Section 342; and, Gurmej Singh (then SI) to eight years of RI and