Pardon plea under govt’s consideration: Punjab to high court

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab government has told the Punjab and Haryana high court that a plea seeking pardon to Preetpal Singh Virk, former superintendent of police (SP, detective), Sangrur, convicted in a kidnapping case of a footballer is under its consideration.

In a status report filed in the court, deputy inspector general (DIG, prisons) LS Jakhar said the plea for special remission to Virk was received by superintendent, central jail, Patiala on October 23.

The plea, with recommendation report from district magistrate, Ludhiana, and verification report of SSP, Khanna, was sent on November 2 to principal secretary, jails, where it is under consideration.

As per norms, such a plea goes to the jails minister and then to the chief minister and the final decision is taken by the governor, Jakhar told the court.

The plea was filed by Sukhwinder Kaur, wife of Tejinder Singh, a state-level football player, who was kidnapped in 1993 and was never found again. Preetpal Singh, along with three other cops, was convicted in 2013 by a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court to 10 years’ imprisonment.

The three other cops are Avtar Singh, the then head constable, Balbir Singh, the then constable, and Shamsher Singh, the then inspector.

Kaur is against the pardon arguing that as per Supreme Court, the governor has to bear in mind the impact of the pardon on the victim’s family.

In another case of proposal of pardon, involving three more cops convicted for murdering their colleague, Mukhtiar Singh, in a false encounter with “militants” in 1992, the Punjab government sought time to file reply.