Jaswant Khalra killing and abduction: Convicted ex-DSP not stripped of gallantry medals despite MHA letter

PTC News Desk: Despite repeated directions from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Punjab governments since 1996 have not withdrawn the President's Police Medal for Gallantry awarded to two former police officers accused in the abduction, torture and murder of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra.

The issue has gained attention again after the controversy over Satluj, a film based on Khalra's life. The movie was removed from the OTT platform ZEE5 on June 5, just two days after its release, leading to protests by several political and Sikh organisations in Punjab demanding that it be restored.

Former Tarn Taran Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ajit Singh Sandhu and former Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Jaspal Singh received the President's Police Medal for Gallantry in 1995 for their role during Punjab's counter-insurgency operations.

Later that same year, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) named both officers as main accused in the abduction, torture and murder of Jaswant Singh Khalra.

In November 2005, a CBI court in Patiala sentenced former DSP Jaspal Singh to life imprisonment. The Punjab and Haryana High Court upheld the verdict in 2007, and the Supreme Court confirmed it in 2011. SSP Ajit Singh Sandhu died by suicide in 1997 while the CBI investigation was still underway.

Critics say Jaspal Singh's life sentence is enough reason for his gallantry medal to be withdrawn.

After widespread public outrage, the CBI took over the investigation in 1995 and filed charges against six Punjab Police personnel. These included DSP Jaspal Singh, sub-inspectors Satnam Singh, Surinder Pal Singh, Jasbir Singh and Amarjit Singh, and head constable Prithipal Singh. They were accused of abduction, illegal detention, murder and destroying evidence. Amarjit Singh was later acquitted, while Ajit Singh Sandhu was also named in the CBI chargesheet.