Tweet
Jammu court sentences then SP, his PSO to life term
Delivering justice in the 13-year-old ‘fake encounter’ case, a local court on Monday awarded life imprisonment to the then Superintendent of Police (Operations) Surankote and his personnel security officer for plotting murder of J&K Police Sub Inspector Ajay Gupta.
On October 13, 1998 personnel security officer (PSO) of SP (operations) Sewak Singh, constable Satpal Singh had eliminated Sub Inspector Ajay Gupta (still on probation) with his service weapon as per the directions of his superior officer.
Satpal, who was sitting on the rear seat of the police gypsy killed PSI Ajay Gupta with his service weapon and wilfully shifted the blame on the militants claiming that the bullet came from outside the vehicle.
The deceased police officer was returning in the bullet-proof gypsy of his superior officer after dropping one of the guests at the end of the party hosted by SP (Operations).
To hide the truth, SP (Operations) had also filed a false report claiming that PSI Ajay Gupta along with driver and two constables were ambushed by anti-national elements near TCP crossing in Surankote.
The report further stated that PSI Ajay Gupta had received a bullet injury on his head. The body guard retaliated the fire. However, Ajay Gupta succumbed to his injuries in the Surankote hospital.
After their version was countered by the driver and other constables, the then police SHO had filed a FIR in the case under sections 302, 120-B, 121,122 RPC, 7/25, 26, 27 Arms Act and Section 3 EAO.
Preliminary investigations and detailed inquiry later on exposed the criminal conspiracy hatched by SP operations along with his PSO.
It was revealed in the preliminary stage that Sewak Singh, SP(Ops) and PSI Ajay Gupta had a scuffle in August 1998 at Surankote. At one time the situation completely went out of control as both had their weapons while threatening to kill each other. To take revenge, Sewak Singh provoked religious sentiments of Satpal Singh and both hatched a conspiracy to eliminate Ajay Gupta.
While awarding the sentence, Second Additional Sessions Judge Jammu Subash C Gupta observed that the murder as committed by the accused Satpal Singh seems to be outcome of the hatched ‘criminal conspiracy’ between him and accused Sewak Singh.
The court further observed that in the absence of exceptional circumstances, the case does not fall within the ambit of ‘ rarest of rare’ for imposing death penalty.
Delivering justice in the 13-year-old ‘fake encounter’ case, a local court on Monday awarded life imprisonment to the then Superintendent of Police (Operations) Surankote and his personnel security officer for plotting murder of J&K Police Sub Inspector Ajay Gupta.
On October 13, 1998 personnel security officer (PSO) of SP (operations) Sewak Singh, constable Satpal Singh had eliminated Sub Inspector Ajay Gupta (still on probation) with his service weapon as per the directions of his superior officer.
Satpal, who was sitting on the rear seat of the police gypsy killed PSI Ajay Gupta with his service weapon and wilfully shifted the blame on the militants claiming that the bullet came from outside the vehicle.
The deceased police officer was returning in the bullet-proof gypsy of his superior officer after dropping one of the guests at the end of the party hosted by SP (Operations).
To hide the truth, SP (Operations) had also filed a false report claiming that PSI Ajay Gupta along with driver and two constables were ambushed by anti-national elements near TCP crossing in Surankote.
The report further stated that PSI Ajay Gupta had received a bullet injury on his head. The body guard retaliated the fire. However, Ajay Gupta succumbed to his injuries in the Surankote hospital.
After their version was countered by the driver and other constables, the then police SHO had filed a FIR in the case under sections 302, 120-B, 121,122 RPC, 7/25, 26, 27 Arms Act and Section 3 EAO.
Preliminary investigations and detailed inquiry later on exposed the criminal conspiracy hatched by SP operations along with his PSO.
It was revealed in the preliminary stage that Sewak Singh, SP(Ops) and PSI Ajay Gupta had a scuffle in August 1998 at Surankote. At one time the situation completely went out of control as both had their weapons while threatening to kill each other. To take revenge, Sewak Singh provoked religious sentiments of Satpal Singh and both hatched a conspiracy to eliminate Ajay Gupta.
While awarding the sentence, Second Additional Sessions Judge Jammu Subash C Gupta observed that the murder as committed by the accused Satpal Singh seems to be outcome of the hatched ‘criminal conspiracy’ between him and accused Sewak Singh.
The court further observed that in the absence of exceptional circumstances, the case does not fall within the ambit of ‘ rarest of rare’ for imposing death penalty.
