Jalandhar, April 29 (IANS) A former Khalistani terrorist who was extradited from the US in 2006 after a 12-year effort is set to walk free with a court here acquitting him in the third - and last - of the three murder cases registered against him by Punjab police. Khalistan Commando Force (KCF) - a terrorist organisation demanding a separate homeland for Sikhs - terrorist Kulbir Singh Barapind alias Kulbira was acquitted by the additional district and sessions judge B.K. Mehta here Tuesday for want of evidence.

What is embarrassing for the Punjab police is that it failed to provide conclusive evidence before the court during trial against Kulbir Singh. He was charged with killing three brothers and the wife of one of them in a village near here Sept 1992. The family of the victims could not identify Kulbir Singh as the killer.

Punjab police made efforts for 12 years to get Kulbir Singh extradited from US. He had fled to that country in 1994.

Kulbir Singh was earlier acquitted in another murder case for the killing of former Akali Dal legislator from Banga town, 45 km from here, and three others in 1992. Here also, the case fell for want of evidence. He was acquitted in a third murder case in Phillaur town as well.

Though there were cases against the terrorist under TADA, the Punjab police could not pursue those as it had given in writing to the US courts that he would not be tried under any special law (like TADA) after his extradition.