High Court dismisses the petition of SI Sujeet Singh; Failed to take notice of disclosure of fake encounters

Chandigarh/ Punjab (July 08, 2013): It is learnt that the Punjab and Haryana High Court has dismissed the petition of suspended Sub-Inspector (SI) Surjeet Singh. SI Surjeet Singh has disclosed that he was part of mass human rights abuses in Punjab during early-mid-1990s and killed 83 innocent Sikhs at the orders of his superior – Paramjeet Singh Gill (SSP) – who is now posted at Ludhiana as police commissioner.

In his petition Surjeet Singh had given a list of 16 fake encounters that he carried at the orders of his superior police officer. In his petition, Surjit Singh SI claimed that he was being threatened by his superior officer and his life was in danger. He had sought high court’s direction for protection of this life.

But the court strangely concluded that SI Surjeet Singh had not exhausted other options and he should have contacted police department in this matter. According to information, on being asked by the High Court that if the petitioner had made any representation to any police officer for his protection, the petitioner’s counsel informed the court that the petitioner had given an application to Tarn Taran SSP but the SSP got thrashed the petitioner.

On being asked by the court that Surjit Singh SI should have approached the Punjab’s Director General of Police (DGP), the petitioner’s counsel R. S. Bains told the court that DGP had himself been an ‘encounter specialist’ and there were no chances of getting any reprieve from him, the petitioner Surjit Singh SI decided to knock at the doors of the High Court.

But the presiding judge of the High Court bench was reportedly not convinced by the petitioner’s claims and dismissed the petition. The court also failed to take notice of 16 fake encounters in which many civilians were killed by the police.

Petitioner’s council Advocate R. S. Bains reportedly said that they shall be approaching the higher court against the decision of High Court.