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Faridkot, Aug 2,2025,UPDATED:5.30PM

In a significant development in a nine-year-old alleged fake encounter case, a Faridkot district court has framed charges of murder and criminal conspiracy against six individuals, including four Punjab Police personnel and two Bathinda-based liquor contractors. The court found prima facie evidence to proceed under multiple grave provisions of law, including murder (IPC Section 302),destruction of evidence (Section 201),criminal conspiracy (Section 120-B),criminal intimidation (Section 506), ioting and unlawful assembly (Sections 148 & 149) and arms Act violation (Section 27).

All six accused—Sub-Inspector Lachman Singh, Constables Parminder Singh and Dharminder Singh, Home Guard jawan Kabal Singh, and liquor contractors Dharampal alias Dhami and Amarjit Singh Mehta—are currently out on bail.

Allegations & Motive

The case pertains to the May 2016 killing of Ajmer Singh, a Kabaddi player and liquor vendor, who was allegedly shot in a staged police encounter.

His mother Manjit Kaur, a resident of Sri Muktsar Sahib, accused police personnel of executing her son and then branding him a gangster. She further alleged that two liquor contractors had conspired with the police due to business disputes with Ajmer Singh.

Court Questions Police Narrative

In 2021, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) had backed the police version, claiming officers fired in self-defense. However, the court found inconsistencies in the official account and relied on witness statements, including those of Ajmer Singh’s siblings, Sukhwinder Kaur and Ranjit Singh (now deceased), to frame charges.

Trial to Begin August 8

Rejecting the defense’s plea for discharge, Additional Sessions Judge Dinesh Kumar Wadhwa held that there was sufficient material to proceed with a full trial. The accused pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The court has summoned prosecution witnesses for the next hearing on August 8, 2025.