Nabha jail writes to Hoshiarpur police to trace

former DSP Jaspal Singh, serving life term in case

Chandigarh, 09 July (H.S.): Amid the ongoing controversy over the film Satluj,

the murder case of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra has once again

come into focus. The Nabha Open Agriculture Jail administration has written to

the Hoshiarpur police, asking them to trace former DSP Jaspal Singh, who is

serving a life sentence in the Khalra murder case.

Hoshiarpur Sadar police station has confirmed that it

has received communication from the jail authorities regarding the search for

the former DSP. Jaspal Singh was released from Nabha Open Agriculture Jail in

May 2023 on bail against a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh.

According to officials, the Punjab Government had sent a

proposal to the Governor in September 2022 for the premature release of Jaspal

Singh. However, the proposal is still pending with the Governor. The Nabha jail

authorities have now asked the Hoshiarpur police to find his whereabouts at the

earliest.

A senior jail official said that the bail was granted on

the basis of an old High Court order. As per the order in COCP No. 2020/2022,

if the Governor does not take a decision on the government’s remission proposal

within three months, the prisoner may be released on bail until the final

decision is taken. On this basis, Patiala CJM Navdeep Kaur Gill had ordered

Jaspal Singh’s release on bail.

Earlier, Jaspal Singh had also been granted parole by

the High Court. However, jail authorities had kept him in custody because he

was serving another five-year sentence in a Tanda case registered under FIR No.

81/1996. He later filed a habeas corpus petition, but withdrew it.

In 2019, then Punjab Governor V.P. Singh Badnore

rejected Jaspal Singh’s remission plea after objections were raised by the

Union Home Ministry. Following this, his life sentence resumed.

During the Covid period, Jaspal Singh was again granted

parole. In 2021, he moved the High Court once more, but withdrew the case in

August 2022. The court had directed him to surrender by August 16, 2022.

Officials said Jaspal Singh has spent a major part of his sentence in the open

jail.

Jaswant Singh Khalra, a prominent human rights activist,

was abducted and murdered in 1995. In 2005, a CBI court in Patiala sentenced

former DSP Jaspal Singh and ASI Amarjit Singh to life imprisonment, while four

other policemen were awarded seven-year jail terms.

Later, the High Court acquitted ASI Amarjit Singh. At the same time, it

enhanced the sentence of four other policemen Surinderpal Singh, Jasbir Singh,

Satnam Singh and Prithipal Singh from seven years to life imprisonment.

Hindusthan Samachar / GURSHARAN SINGH