Tarn Taran court seeks witnesses’ status report by Mar 6 from SSP

TARNTARAN:TARN Taran additional sessions judge Paramjit Kaur has directed senior superintendent of police (SSP) Dhruv Dahiya to submit a report by March 6 on the present status of witnesses in the 1983 murder of Dr Sudarshan Kumar Trehan, a renowned physician of Patti town.

The court issued the order after it was apprised that some of the witnesses have died and others have not been found working at their previous place of posting.

In January, the court had framed charges of murder and house-trespass against former Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MLA Virsa Singh Valtoha in the case.

On February 14, the date of recording the evidence, the court issued the order, a copy of which is with HT, asking the SSP to submit a report regarding the witnesses of the case whether they are alive or have died. The judge also asked the SSP to produce the witnesses who are alive in the court so the case may be taken to its logical end.

“Summons issued to witnesses returned undelivered with a report that some have died and others not been found working at their previous place of posting. So, none of them could be served with the summons,” read the order.

“The reports received by the court regarding the status of witnesses have not been forwarded by any senior police officer. The case is pertaining to serious offences like murder and attempt to murder. So, taking into consideration all the facts, the court is of view that there must be a report of some senior police officer regarding the status of witnesses to avoid any manipulation and false report,” the order reads.

“The report is being prepared. We are asked to attach the death certificates of witnesses who have passed away. The current status of the other witnesses is also being ascertained. The report will be submitted to the court before the assigned time,” said the SSP.

Dr Trehan was murdered in his clinic in Patti on September 30, 1983. Valtoha, who also remained a chief parliamentary secretary in the SAD-BJP government, was named as one of the accused in the case.

An FIR was registered against unidentified persons on the day of the murder. A year later, police took one Hardev Singh on remand, who was then lodged in the Nabha jail in other criminal cases.

During interrogation, Hardev confessed that he along with Valtoha and one Baldev Singh were behind Dr Trehan’s murder. On the basis of his confession, Valtoha was named as an accused.

Valtoha got a bail in the case in February 1991, but the police never presented a supplementary chargesheet against him.

The other accused, Hardev Singh and Baldev Singh, were acquitted in November 1990. However, Valtoha was never arrested. In February last year, 36 years after the murder, police presented a challan against Valtoha.

DR TREHAN WAS MURDERED IN HIS CLINIC IN PATTI ON SEPTEMBER 30, 1983; EX-SAD MLA VIRSA SINGH VALTOHA NAMED ONE OF THE ACCUSED IN CASE

RPF TEAM WAS CLEARING ENCROACHMENTS BY CABBIES WHEN

IT WAS ATTACKED