CBI court's big decision in 32-year-old fake encounter case, 5 people including SSP-DSP convicted

A special CBI court has rendered a historic verdict in the age-old 1993 Tarn Taran bogus encounter case, sentencing five retired police officials, including high-level officers like the then SSP and DSP. This judgment is an important milestone in the quest for justice and the protection of human rights after over three decades.

The case originates in 1993 when two youths, Gurdev Singh alias Deba and Sukhwant Singh, were said to have been picked up from their residence by police officials and subsequently murdered in a fictitious encounter at Bhagupar locality falling under the jurisdiction of Patti police station. These allegations were false when properly investigated by a dynamic CBI team, who undertook the investigation as per Supreme Court order in 1995

The probe found that the police staged the encounter and illegally cremated the bodies without informing family members. 11 officers, including retired SSP Bhupendrajit Singh and retired DSP Davinder Singh, were charged. Though years of legal process and the deaths of several accused persons held up the trial, the court finally convicted five main officers under Sections 302 (murder) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code.

The officers who have been convicted are:

• Retired SSP Bhupendrajit Singh

• Retired DSP Davinder Singh

• Retired Inspector Suba Singh

• Retired Inspector Raghubir Singh

• Retired Inspector Gulbarg Singh

All the convicted have been arrested immediately after the verdict. The date of the sentencing hearing has been fixed for August 4, 2025.

CBI Public Prosecutor Anmol Narang referred to the court's verdict as a landmark that improves trust in the judicial system and sends a robust message against custodial crimes and abuse of human rights.

Relatives of the dead felt relieved and satisfied with the ruling and expected that this verdict will bring long-pending closure and justice after 32 years.

This decision arrives during an increasingly national focus on accountability within law enforcement and the protection of human rights, demonstrating delayed justice can still maintain the rule of law.

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