NEW DELHE: With former Inspector General of Police, Simranjit Singh Mann yet to be produced from Bhagalpur Jail proceedings in the Indira Gandhi assassination Conspiracy case were on May 22 Postponed to June 3.

S.L. Khanna the deputed Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate in the case, who is reported unwell, also did not attend the hearings scheduled this afternoon in Tihar Jail.

Atinder Pal Singh, former AISSF activist and the two professors from Bombay, Jagmohan Singh and Dalip Singh, co accused in the case along with Mann were present in the heavily guarded court. Their remand in judicial custody was extended to June 3 by ACMM JM. Malik who presided on behalf of Mr. Khanna. The hearings lasted about half an hour.

Medical Examination

Present in the court premises were also Col. Joginder Singh Mann father of Simranjit Singh Mann and his wife Geetender Kaur with other relatives. His counsel Dr. B.L. Wadera was informed that Mann was yet to arrive in Delhi. According to the counsel for the Special Investigation Team, (SIT), S.P. Minocha no information had been received about Mann’s arrival. Fresh warrants were then issued by Malik for his production at the next date of hearing.

At a request from the counsel for Atinder Pal Singh the magistrate ordered the jail doctor to conduct medical examination. This order followed the allegation of the counsel RS Sodhi that Atinder had been tortured during his interrogation by the SIT and the Punjab police. Initially Atinder wanted his medical examination done by a doctor from outside the jail. Subsequently his counsel agreed to the court’s suggestion that Atinder be first examined by the jail doctor and should he still be not satisfied and application might be filed for his medical examination from outside.

Atinder maintained that he was still not being supplied B class facilities by the jail personnel. He added that he was a hunger strike to get the requisite facilities in his cell. The counsel for the SIT argued that since a judge bad visited Tihar Jail in this connection,” the matter was settled. Atinder was still not pacified. He said no sessions judge had come to his cell. Addressing Malik in a mixture of Punjabi and English. Atinder added that it was 40 days since the issue was being discussed and nothing had been done about it. How Courts Function Hindustan ki courts asisechalti hain (Indian courts function like this), jocularly retorted Malik. He however said that since he was only asked to officiate in lieu of Khanna the accused could move the proper court to look into the matter.

Some kripan clad relatives of the accused were not allowed to attend the court proceedings for “security ransom.” This was also brought to courts notice by RS. Sodhi, said that the trial of Atinder Pal Singh and the rest was being held in an “open court”.

Sikhs cold carry kripans, he said, Malik there upon asked Minocha to ensure that the relatives were allowed to enter the premises, but with adequate security checks as per the rules.

Article extracted from this publication >>  May 26, 1989