Custodial death case: five policemen to face murder trial, hearing on April 20

Bathinda (The Uttam Hindu): A custodial death case from nearly one and a half years ago has taken a crucial turn, with a local court ordering a trial against five Punjab Police personnel on serious charges including murder. The case has been committed to a sessions court, with the next hearing scheduled for April 20.

The Judicial Magistrate First Class observed that there is sufficient evidence to proceed against the accused. Those named include Inspector Navpreet Singh, then in-charge of CIA-1, Head Constable Rajwinder Singh, and Constables Gaganpreet Singh, Harjeet Singh, and Jaswinder Singh, all posted in the same unit at the time.

The case relates to the death of Bhinder Singh, a resident of Lakkhi Jungle village. A judicial probe found that he was allegedly kept in illegal custody and subjected to torture, including waterboarding. Investigators also concluded that the claim of drowning in a lake was fabricated to present the death as an accident.

The inquiry relied on digital and forensic evidence to reject the police version. The victim’s brother had earlier raised allegations of illegal detention and torture, while call records showed the presence of the deceased and the accused officer in the same location. A delay of two days in conducting the post-mortem also raised suspicion. The court dismissed the police claim that he jumped into a lake near the thermal plant, while the family has consistently maintained it was a custodial death.