Accused got bail as cops dropped murder charge
BATHINDA: The two accused in the death of orchestra dancer Kulwinder Kaur, also known as Janu, who was killed by a gunshot while performing at a marriage party at Maur in Bathinda, got bail due to a botched-up police investigation.
The bail was granted to the accused after the police failed to file challan within the stipulated 60-day period in the case that was registered under Section 25 of the Arms Act. The police had also replaced the murder charges under Section 302 of IPC with that of an accidental death under Section 304-A, which helped the culprits, especially Lucky Goel alias Billa who fired the shot, in getting bail on February 6, two months after their arrest.
The sensational killing took place on the night of December 3, with a video of the event going viral on social media.
The court had observed that the police had dropped the Sections 302, 336, 148, 149 IPC and 25, 54, 59 of the Arms Act against the accused and added Section 304 (A) and Section 27 of the Arms Act against them.
ACCUSED RELEASED
Another accused Sanjay Goel, son of former Akali councillor Vijay Goel, was also released on bail on the same ground. The police finally filed the challan on March 7, framing charges a month after replacing the valid sections of the IPC and the Arms Act. The Section 25 of the Arms Act in the FIR was also annulled before the filing of the challan.
The then SSP Swapan Sharma gave nod to the ‘probe report’ of SP (detective) that had recommended to replace the specific charges under various sections originally mentioned in the FIR. The FIR was registered on December 4, 2016, a day after Janu was shot dead.
Judge Gurdarshan Singh finally gave the judicial nod to replace the crucial sections in the FIR on the basis of this ‘investigation report’ of the SP (D).
SP (D) Vikramjit Singh said he had prepared the probe report recommending to replace original charges of murder in the FIR.
MOTHER CRIES FOUL
Janu’s mother Manjit Kaur, who is the prime witness in the case, has lodged a complaint with the Bathinda SSP against the SP (D) for never calling her during investigation. The aggrieved mother has also sought departmental action against ASI Sukhjinder Singh, the investigation officer, for not filing the challan within the stipulated period.
HUBBY’S DEATH
Janu’s husband Rajinder Singh, the complainant and an eyewitness in the FIR, had died under mysterious circumstances on February 8, 2017, due to “illness”. The police has filed inquest proceedings under Section 174 CrPC, ruling out any foul play. Rajinder, along with his mother-in-law, saw Billu firing a shot in the air that led to the death of Janu, stated the FIR.
Rajinder’s parents have blamed Janu’s family for his death and moved the Punjab and Haryana high court for appropriate action.