On Friday, a Mohali Court rejected the applications of 3 co-accused in the Balwant Singh Multani disappearance case to turn approver to seek pardon.

The then inspector Jagir Singh, sub-inspector Harsahai Sharma & assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Kuldeep Singh had filed an application in the Court seeking permission to turn approvers.

They along with Ex-Director General of Police (DGP) Sumedh Singh Saini were booked on May 6 this year for the disappearance of Multani, a Chandigarh Industrial & Tourism Corporation (CITCO) employee, in 1991. Saini is the prime accused in the case.

Chief Judicial Magistrate Deepika Singh said the Special Investigation Team (SIT) looking into the case can make a request in the Court for pardoning the accused.

The Court observed that “In the present scenario, it would be proper if the investigating agency independently applies its mind & moves an application for grant of pardon that no direct evidence is available with them. The agency should consider if it can collect the evidences so as to put all the accused on trial or make some of them as approver".

Now, the Special Investigation Team will file a plea on behalf of the 3 accused to turn approvers in the case, it is learnt.

All the 3 Ex-UT Cops had recorded their statements under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) before the Judicial Magistrates in Mohali on different dates.

While Jagir Singh had recorded his statement before Judicial Magistrate Amit Bakshi, Harsahai Sharma & Kuldeep Singh did the same before judicial magistrate Harjinder Kaur.

Jagir Singh is also a co-accused along with then inspector Anokh Singh in another FIR in the same episode registered at Kharar Sadar police station on July 27 on charges of fabricating the evidences booked under Section 195-A (fabricating evidence) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) on the complaint of Kharar (Sadar) station house officer, inspector Sukhvir Singh. Anokh was arrested & was sent to judicial custody after being on three-day police remand.

Jagir & Anokh are also co-accused in the previous FIR registered at the Mataur police station against Saini in alleged disappearance of Multani. The 2 had got bail in this case. 

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