AMRITSAR: The gory truth that Police officials settled many personal scores under the garb of terrorism in Punjab is slowly coming to light.

Ludhiana Senior Superintendent of Police Sumedh Singh Saini is already facing a CBI inquiry under the directions of the Supreme Court for allegedly kidnapping two brothers to get even in a family feud.

Now the Kathunangal police in Majitha police district have registered a case under Section 364 of IPC against a deputy superintendent of police then posted at Dera Baba Nanak on the charge of kidnapping seven members of a family from Bagga village in October 1991.

The case was registered on March 23 this year under the directions of the inspector general of police (crime) who was asked to inquire into the matter by the state police chief K.P.S.Gill on the complaint of one Inder Singh dated January 19,1992.

Though the FIR confines itself to the charge of kidnapping with the intent to murder police sources say the seven kidnapped persons had since been killed the case is being investigated by a SP of the crime branch.

 In the FIR number 13 filed on the basis of the written complaint of Inder Singh it is alleged that the complainants’ father Sadhu Singh (80) his son Hardev Singh (25) younger brother Gurdip Singh (42) and nephews Amarjit Singh (18) Sharan jit Singh (17) Devinder Singh (25) and Sukhdev Singh (22) had been taken away by a police party led by the DSP Baldev Singh on Octoher20.1991_ According to the FIR lodged by Inder Singh Baldev Singh believed that Inder Singh’s family was behind the kidnapping and subsequent killing of his brother Kuldeep Singh alias Gagli by militants. The police official was also angry with the family over Inder Singh’s son Hardev Singh’s refusal to accept the marriage proposal of a girl in the DSP’s family. The complainant claimed that he took his village panchayat to the DSP to seek the release of his Kidnapped family members but the DSP cleverly skirted the issue Meanwhile the kidnapped persons ‘were shifted from one police station to another in Batala police district till December 1991 when the DSP agreed to release them saying that he was convinced of their innocence. However the DSP did not keep his promise. Repeated representations made to them Batala Senior Super intendant of Police Sita Ram also did not bear  the FIR said Claiming that his family members were last lodged in Faridkot Sadar police station from December8,1991 to January 8,1992 Inder Singh in his complaint requested the State police chief to secure the release of his relatives from “illegal” police custody” apprehending their liquidation by the DSP.

Though the case was registered last month no arrest has been made in this connection so far Majitha police chief Paramjit Singh Gill when contacted said he was not aware of the progress made in the investigation since it was being handled by an officer of the investigation wing in the crime branch at Chandigarh.

Article extracted from this publication >> April 22, 1994