Plea to probe KPS Gill role in Khalra's 'liquidation'

Chandigarh, Sep 8 (UNI) The Khalra Action Committee has decided to file a writ petition in Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking directions to the CBI to expeditiously conclude the probe vis-a-vis former Punjab police chief K P S Gill in the disappearance and ''liquidation'' of rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra at the hands of the cops.

An indication to this effect was given by those who were known to be providing legal assistance to Paramjit Kaur Khalra, the wife of Jaswant Singh Khalra, who went missing following his arrest in 1995.

The CBI is apparently adopting a policy of go-slow in this respect, despite the evidence tendered by witness Kuldip Singh about KPS Gill's alleged involvement in the conspiracy to liquidate Khalra, is increasingly growing in those closely connected with the family of the deceased.

What has come to irk Mrs Khalra and her supporters was the fact that despite the categorical testimony of witness Kuldip Singh to CBI, the agency chose not to make him a prosecution witness, the petition stated.

This, however, was ensured after the matter had been taken to the court that Kuldip was considered as a witness.

Mrs Khalra who is due to address a press conference about this tomorrow is reported to have stressed that the sequence of events narrated by Kuldip Singh in his testimony to CBI, more than confirmed that KPS Gill was allegedly among the key conspirators in Khalra abduction, illegal detention, torture in police station and liquidation in 1995 when the deceased was heading the human rights wing of the Shiromani Akali Dal.

Only sometime back the Patiala special judge, had convicted and sentenced a deputy superintendent of police (DSP) of Punjab to life imprisonment besides seven years rigorous imprisonment to an inspector and some other police personnel in the Khalra case. This, however, was viewed as ''too little too late'' by her counsel in the matter Rajvinder Singh Bains of the High Court here.

UNI XC PS SHB RAI2115