Magistrate Hans submitted his report to the Deputy Commissioner Sarabjit Singh in April and he reportedly accepted the findings.

During the conduct of the probe lasting nearly five months the magistrate cross-examined more than two dozen independent witnesses and junior police personnel. He also collected circumstantial evidence from various sources before reaching the conclusion.

However surprisingly enough none of the police officials including SSP Sanjeev Gupta connected with the disappearance of the youths turned up before the inquiry officer despite repeated summons.

The report noted that the police had failed to establish that the youth were let off. It also did not pinpoint the responsibility of any official.

Several eyewitnesses who deposed before the magistrate confirmed that the said youths were apprehended in full public view and severely beaten up before being bundled into the police vehicles.

The enquiry report also noted that the police did not record the rounding up of the two youths nor was any weapon recovered from them. The police could not relate the place and time of their “release” and did not even mention at whose guarantee they were let off.

Sanjeev Gupta maintained that he had not so far received a copy of the report. He however insisted that the said youths were let off by the police. The police he told the media did not maintain the record of each and every person apprehended for questioning.

Instead of further investigating the matter as suggested by the magistrate the administration is learnt to have closed the matter. The Deputy Commissioner has written to the parents of the youths merely informing them that the enquiry could not trace their sons and that they were not in police custody.

The parents of the youths have now decided to file a suit in the Punjab and Haryana High Court to get Justice god knows what justice will the parents get from the High Court as the judicial authorities failed to prosecute any police offenders.

Moreover the recent amendment to the Cr.P.C insulating the police and security forces personnel against any probable legal action is a pointer to the shape of things to come.

Article extracted from this publication >> September 13, 1991