CHANDIGARH: Long before the accused in the “Katia case” were lodged in the Seonk “special jail,” the place had been a subject of intense controversy in official Khanpur, In fact, both Seonk and Khanpur Khuhi, the two forest rest houses in Ropar district, which were declared “special jails” in November last year, Were being used for purposes other than lodging prisoners.

While the jail at Khanpur Khuhi near Ropar was being used as a holiday retreat by ministers and officers of the Punjab Government, the one at Seonk near Chandigarh Was being used as an interrogation center by the police. The two were notified as “special jails temporally” to lodge Dr. Sohan Singh, a Khalistani ideologue, He stayed at Khanpur Khuhi for a week before he was shifted to Seonk. He was moved to the Patiala Jail a few months ago.

Last week, Seonk once again hit the headlines when the persons accused in the “Katia case,” including Gurkirat Singh, a grandson Of the Punjab Chief Minister, Beant Singh, were lodged there following orders of the High Court that they be kept in judicial custody, Investigations indicate that among those who stayed at Khanpur “special Jail” include the Irrigation Minister, Jagmohan Singh Kang, along with two other families in April this year. Meanwhile, without the knowledge of the Punjab jail officials, the State forest department has been issuing permits to officers for stay in the place; those officers in whose name official permits were issued include the Deputy Commissioner.

Hoshiarpur; SDM, Anandpur Sahib and at least two executive engineers, besides others.

Perhaps, none of these officers was aware that they were asking for a stay permit in the jail.

The case of Seonk “Jail” is even more unique. It is in fact only an inspection but with three rooms and not a listed forest rest house, as stated in the official notification declaring it a jail, After Dr, Sohan Singh was moved out, the Mullanpur Garibdas police post took charge of the premises and used it to interrogate suspected persons, They also took over the adjoining two rooms of the documentation center act up under a World Bank project. Two months ago, a piquant situation arose when one of the Kashmir suspects, who had been kept there slipped away following which a massive manhunt was launched, He was finally nabbed in Chandigarh. The “escape” was not recorded.

Meanwhile, during the past six months the Punjab Forest Department has been seeking the identification of Seonk as a special jail and eviction of the Punjab Police from it. Both the Conservator of the Shivalik Circle, Gurmit Singh, and Principal Chief Conservator, Y.P. Chaudhary, have been writing to the Home Department in this connection. They have even stated that the policemen had not only damaged the property of the inspection hut but also destroyed the forest cover.

The forest department is preparing a list of the damage caused to the property of the place. It is learned.

Article extracted from this publication >>  September 23, 1994