CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana High Court ordered equity by the Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) into the whereabouts of Bagicha Singh who has been reportedly missing from the police custody since September, 1992.

A division bench, comprising Justice Amarjeet Chaudhary and Justice H, Bedi, observed that on the face of it, tie Inquiry report submitted by the Punjab Government had) been manipulated and blank signed papers were filled’ up Tater to fabricate the inquiry report.

Ms. Paramjit Kaur, the member of Bagicha Singh and a widow, submitted before the court that a police party came to her village on April 22 and made her sign the blank papers, On April26, she said, the police obtained Signatures of some villagers also, again under duress. The state has been time and again seeking adjournment to file its report which it had earlier claimed was complete. The case, as contended by the counsel of the petitioner, Ranjan Lakhan Pal, refers to an incident in which Ms. Paramjit Kaur’s only child, Bagicha Singh was allegedly picked up by a police party in September 1992.

The police team was led by a sub inspector, Mr. Gurdev Singh. She made many unsuccessful attempts, including making are presentations to the Chief Minister and senior police functionaries to know about her son’s whereabouts.

Finally, she filed a habeas corpus but the state denied having picked up Bagicha Singh and said that he was not wanted in any case. The petition was disposed of after both sides agreed to an inquiry into the episode which would be conducted by a gazette officer.

The mother’s statement was recorded in January last but her request that the version of the villagers before whom her son was picked up should also be taken, was probably ignored. Her counsel said that no police officer ever visited her village for the inquiry compelling her to seek a CBI inquiry through a petition filed before the High Court. The state meanwhile, took the stand that the inquiry was conducted by it on October 8, 1993, the day on which it was ordered by the court. Her counsel pointed out it was humanly impossible to hold and conclude an inquiry ‘on the same day. In March, the court had directed the state to produce the inquiry report and the case was adjourned to April.

Article extracted from this publication >> May 12, 1995