Apex court stays trial of five Punjab policemen
July 13th, 2012 - 9:57 pm ICT by IANSNew Delhi, July 13 (IANS) The Supreme Court Friday stayed the trial of five Punjab policemen accused of committing excesses during anti-terrorist campaign in the state in the 1980s and 1990s.
A bench of Justice K.S. Radhakrishnan and Justice Dipak Misra issued notice to the Punjab government on the policemen’s petition challenging a May 14 Punjab and Haryana High Court order.
The five, charged with killing four people in a staged gunfight in Gurdaspur in January 1994, contended that they cannot be proceeded against without prior sanction of the central government under the Punjab Disturbed Areas Act, 1983.
Punjab Police counsel Sudhir Walia assailed the trial court’s decision to proceed against the personnel without government sanction.
Walia told the court that the central government had taken such a stand in a similear but earlier case.
The petition said the high court, while dismissing the policemen’s plea, “only relied upon the version of the complainant and failed to take notice of the official record of the state government”.
The petition said the high court made observations which amounted to pronouncing the police personnel guilty of “heinous crimes”.
According to the policemen, they were part of a 68-member team that took part in an anti-terrorist operation in Kunjhar village Jan 25, 1994 in which four militants were killed.
The investigating agency had accused them of seizing the victims from their homes and other places and torturing them to death.
The apex court Sep 12, 1994 ordered a CBI probe into the incident.
- Apex court pulls up three states on vehicle number plates - Aug 31, 2011
- Centre's nod needed for trial of errant armymen: SC (Lead) - May 01, 2012
- Can't stigmatise judiciary, apex court warns CBI - Nov 29, 2011
- Sohrabuddin killing: Apex court issues notice on case transfer (Lead) - Jan 19, 2011
- Ombudsman to act on governor's sanction against Yeddyurappa - Aug 09, 2011
- Don't turn to us for everything, apex court tells government - Apr 03, 2012
- SC issues notices to transport secretaries over high-security number plates - Apr 07, 2011
- Rajendra Sethia trial to run on daily basis, rules apex court - May 18, 2012
- Supreme Court suspends Sajjan Kumar trial in '84 riots case - Jul 11, 2012
- Italian marines' plea: SC notice to centre, Kerala - Jul 19, 2012
- Court questions government on plea against Amod Kanth - Jun 03, 2011
- SC moved challenging quashing of FIR against Yeddyurappa - Mar 21, 2012
- SC pushes for surgical separation of conjoined sisters (Lead) - Jul 16, 2012
- Apex court shield against arrest for Mumbai blasts' suspect - Feb 14, 2012
- Order reserved on recording court hearings - Jul 06, 2011
Tags: apex, apex court, cbi probe, central government, complainant, dipak, excesses, government sanction, gunfight, gurdaspur, heinous crimes, investigating agency, member team, misra, policemen, punjab and haryana high court, punjab government, s radhakrishnan, terrorist campaign, trial court