In a significant judgment, a special CBI court in Mohali sentenced former Punjab Police officer Paramjit Singh, then the Station House Officer (SHO) of Beas, to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment in a 1993 fake encounter case that claimed the lives of two Punjab Police constables, reported The Hindu. The court also imposed a fine of ₹50,000 on him.
The 1993 Fake Encounter: What Happened?
On April 18, 1993, constables Surmukh Singh of Muchhal village and Sukhwinder Singh of Khiala village in Amritsar district were reportedly picked up by the Beas police on the pretext of interrogating them over a scooter theft. They were never seen alive again. A day later, they were killed in a staged encounter near Majitha and cremated as “unclaimed bodies,” allegedly being labelled as unidentified militants.
Years later, a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), as ordered by the Supreme Court of India, confirmed that the encounter had been fake and that the deceased were, in fact, serving constables of the Punjab Police.
Legal Journey: Over Three Decades in the Making
The Supreme Court ordered a CBI investigation in 1995, which led to the registration of a case. Charges were filed in 1999. However, the trial was stalled for years due to numerous petitions filed by the accused. Between 2001 and 2022, hearings were repeatedly delayed. Only 27 prosecution witnesses could eventually be examined; many either passed away or turned hostile during the course of the prolonged legal process.
Despite these challenges, the special court held Paramjit Singh guilty of abduction and murder, bringing a rare conviction in a case of custodial killing dating back over three decades.
The Verdict and Acquittals
While Paramjit Singh was convicted and sentenced to 10 years in prison, three other accused in the case — Inspector Dharam Singh and Assistant Sub-Inspectors Kashmir Singh and Darbara Singh — were acquitted due to lack of evidence. Another accused, Sub-Inspector Ram Lubhiya, died during the course of the trial and proceedings against him were abated.
The court stated that it was convinced, beyond reasonable doubt, that Paramjit Singh had orchestrated the illegal detention, abduction, and killing of the two constables and had falsely labelled them as militants.
Impact on the Victims’ Families
The judgment has come as a moment of closure for the families who fought for justice for decades. Charanjit Singh, the son of Surmukh Singh, was born after his father’s death. Now a cab driver, he shared how the family lived under a cloud of grief and social stigma for years. His mother raised him single-handedly while pursuing justice through the legal maze.
The court also recommended that the families of the victims be considered for compensation in light of the long-standing emotional, social, and financial suffering they endured.
Broader Significance
This case has re-opened discussions around the widespread allegations of fake encounters that occurred in Punjab during the 1980s and 1990s — a time when security forces were battling militancy and many custodial deaths were dismissed or never formally investigated. Very few convictions have emerged in such cases, making this verdict particularly significant.
Human rights groups have long maintained that impunity for security personnel in the name of counter-insurgency undermines the rule of law. The CBI court’s decision is thus seen not just as justice for the families involved, but also as a rare assertion of accountability.
Lessons and Reforms Needed
The judgment highlights the urgent need for greater police accountability and systemic reform in handling custodial deaths and encounters. Experts stress the importance of transparent investigations, timely trials, and institutional safeguards to ensure such abuses are not repeated. More importantly, it serves as a reminder that justice, even if delayed, must not be denied.
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