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Ten Acquitted in Conspiracy to Blow Up Model Jail January 14, 2003 Chandigarh, India -- In a jam-packed makeshift courtroom inside Model Jail Burail, Balbir Singh, Additional Sessions Judge, Chandigarh, acquitted all ten persons charged with conspiracy to blow up the jail. The case
dates back to June 11, 1998 when the then Senior Superintendent of Police,
C.S.R.Reddy claimed to unearth a conspiracy to blow up Model Jail and
facilitate the escape of two high-profile prisoners, Jagtar Singh "Hawara"
and Jagtar Singh "Tara," who are awaiting trial for the assassination
of the former Chief Minister of Punjab, Beant Singh. In a press conference on June 11, 1998, Superintendent Reddy stated that the police had caught a man named Satnam Singh in possession of a Kilogram of the powerful explosive PETN disguised as Ladoos (Sweets). He was arrested just outside the jail premises. After further investigation, the police arrested seven others: Baljit Singh of Chandigarh, Jaspal Singh, a human rights activist, Daljit Singh, a lawyer, Sitla Prasad Mishra, Assistant Jail Superintendent and Constable Jaswinder Singh, then posted in the jail premises, and Jaswant Singh and Balwinder Singh both from Kharar. All ten,
including the two prisoners, were tried for conspiring to blow up Model
Jail. Sixty
two witnesses were questioned during the trial. The court found serious
contradictions in statements made by police. And the prosecution failed
to produce the key evidence - the explosive substance PETN alleged to
be used for blowing up the jail. All were
acquitted under Sections 3,4,5 of the Explosives Act and 120-B of Indian
Penal Code. Satnam
Singh and Balwinder Singh of village Dekwala, were charged with furnishing
incorrect information in their depositions. Their sentence is expected
January 15. Amar Singh and Arunjeev Singh, counsel for all the accused, stated that the whole story of conspiracy to blow up the jail failed judicial scrutiny and proved that it was a frame-up to rope in innocent persons in a concocted case. They
urged the Chandigarh Administration to undertake a serious review of the
matter and hold a detailed inquiry to find those responsible for the frame-up.
The counsel recommended that the guilty police officials be prosecuted
and dismissed from service, and that the persons found innocent by the
court be compensated for the agony and trauma suffered by them for five
years. Amar
Singh and Arunjeev Singh belong to Lawyers For Human Rights International
and provided free legal service to all the accused. |