HC enhances sentence to life against all cops in Khalra case

Chandigarh, Oct 16 (UNI) The Punjab and Haryana High Court today enhanced to life imprisonment the seven year sentence to four of the five police officials who were convicted by a lower court for the custodial killing of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra of Amritsar in September 1995.

The four officials are Sub-Inspectors Satnam Singh, Jasbir Singh, Surinder Pal Singh and head constable Prithipal Singh.

The seven-year sentence was awarded to the police officials by the trial court of Additional District and Sessions judge, Patiala on November 30, 2001 in the case investigated by the CBI on orders of the Supreme Court.

The Division Bench of Justice M S Gill and Justice A N Jindal had allowed the appeal for increasing the sentence filed by Paramjit Kaur Khalra, wife of the deceased.

The fifth officer, DSP Jaspal Singh, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the trial court itself.

UNI