Bunty Bajwa murder case

Over a year after the murder of Gurvinder Singh alias Bunty Bajwa, the court has declared Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Baljinder Singh alias Gogi and nambardar Davinder Singh alias Gogi proclaimed offenders (POs).

Both accused were neither arrested nor appeared before the police or court.Two of the accused Karanveer Singh and Amardeep Singh are already lodged in Ludhiana central jail on judicial remand. Rest of the accused Gagandeep Singh, Vikramjit Singh, Jaspreet Singh, Navjit Singh and Jaswant Singh had got bail in the case.

The police had already exempted Guriqbal Singh alias Vicky Sekhon, one of the accused, from the case declaring him innocent. SAD secretary Gurdev Singh alias Debu, another accused, had also been absolved by the police. The police had claimed that Debu was not directly involved in the murder case but had been accused of providing shelter to the murder accused.

A separate FIR under sections 212 (harbouring offender), 157 (harbouring persons hired for an unlawful assembly) and 173 (Preventing service of summons) of the IPC was registered at Salem Tabri police station.

Bajwa was allegedly gunned down following political rivalry during the municipal corporation elections in Bajigar Basti on June 10 last. A murder case was registered at the Salem Tabri police station on the same day.

Showing faith in the judiciary, Bajwa's father Kuldeep Singh said the police had been working under pressure to please their political bosses. "The police officers had tried their best to stop the PO proceedings against the accused in December last and had also moved an application in the court with a plea that as the case was under investigation with deputy commissioner of police (DCP) of Jalandhar, the PO proceedings against the accused could affect the investigations.

However, the court had dismissed the application," he said.Kuldeep also alleged that he had sensed the political pressure on police and had already moved an application in Punjab and Haryana high court on July 31 last.

When contacted, inspector Dharampal, station house officer (SHO) at Salem Tabri police station, said no information about declaring the two accused as proclaimed offenders had been received at the police station yet.