A Special CBI Court in Mohali has sentenced five retired Punjab Police officers to life imprisonment for their involvement in the 1993 fake encounter case that resulted in the deaths of seven individuals in Tarn Taran district. The court, presided over by Special CBI Judge Baljinder Singh Sra, also imposed a fine of ₹3.5 lakh on each convict, to be paid as compensation to the victims’ families. The convicted officers include Bhupinderjit Singh (retired SSP), Devinder Singh (retired DSP), Gulbarg Singh (retired Inspector), Suba Singh (retired Inspector), and Raghubir Singh (retired Sub-Inspector). Sampadak Express reports that the court found them guilty of criminal conspiracy, abduction, murder, and destruction of evidence under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code on August 1, 2025.
Background of the 1993 Fake Encounter Case
The 1993 fake encounter case stems from two staged encounters in Tarn Taran. On June 27, 1993, three Special Police Officers (SPOs)—Shinder Singh, Sukhdev Singh, and Desa Singh—along with Balkar Singh, were abducted by a police team led by Inspector Gurdev Singh, then SHO of Sarhali police station. They were tortured to extract confessions related to a robbery. On July 12, 1993, these individuals, along with Mangal Singh, were killed in a fake encounter orchestrated by DSP Bhupinderjit Singh. On July 28, 1993, three others—Sukhdev Singh, Sarabjit Singh, and Harwinder Singh—met a similar fate in a staged encounter by Verowal police. Sampadak Express reports that the CBI investigation, initiated after a 1996 Supreme Court order, exposed these extrajudicial killings.
The case gained traction following a Supreme Court directive on December 12, 1996, in response to a petition by Paramjit Kaur, addressing mass cremations of unidentified bodies in Punjab. The CBI registered the case in 1999, filing a chargesheet in 2002 against ten officers, five of whom died during the trial. The prolonged trial, delayed by stays from 2010 to 2021, saw only 28 of 67 witnesses testify, as many had passed away. Sampadak Express reports that the CBI’s findings confirmed the abductions and murders, highlighting a pattern of police misconduct during Punjab’s militancy era.
Context of Punjab’s Militancy Era
The 1993 fake encounter case reflects the turbulent period of militancy in Punjab during the 1980s and 1990s, marked by widespread human rights abuses. Fake encounters were often used to eliminate suspected militants, but many innocents, including the victims in this case, were targeted. The CBI’s probe revealed that the victims, including SPOs, were falsely implicated and killed to project police efficiency. This case underscores the systemic issues of extrajudicial killings and the subsequent cover-ups, which led to public outcry and demands for justice.
The conviction of the five officers after a 32-year legal battle marks a significant step toward accountability. The court’s decision to award the fines as compensation to the victims’ families acknowledges their long-standing suffering. Sarabjit Singh Verka, counsel for the victims, noted the challenges posed by the prolonged trial and witness attrition. This verdict serves as a reminder of the need for judicial reforms to expedite justice in human rights violation cases, ensuring closure for affected families and reinforcing trust in the legal system.
