Political News » Special News

Close Associate of Badals, Satnam Singh Kaler Defended Many ‘Killer Cops’

May 9, 2020 | By Sikh Siyasat Bureau

Chandigarh: Advocate Satnam Singh Kaler may have withdrawn from the defence of former DGP Sumedh Saini but controversy triggered by his move to appear for Saini refuses to die down.

Notably, Satnam Singh Kaler is a close associate of Badal family. In exchange of his proximities with the Badals he was appointed as chairman of Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission in December 2016.

After registration of case against him, Sumedh Saini is on the run in an attempt to escape his arrest. He has also applied for anticipatory bail in a Mohali court.

On Friday (May 8) Advocate Satnam Singh Kaler and his son Arshdeep Singh Kaler appeared for Sumedh Saini in District and Sessions court Mohali and demanded stay on his arrest.

The court, however, refused to stay Sumedh Saini’s arrest and fixed May 9 as court date for hearing arguments on anticipatory bail plea.

Satnam Singh Kaler’s move to defend Sumedh Saini sparked a controversy and he was condemned by various Sikh circles.

An Attempt to Damage Control:

In an attempt to control the damage, Satnam Singh Kaler announced to withdraw from the defence of Sumedh Saini. He said that he was taken this case just to offer professional services but as his move has hurt Sikh sentiments, he has decided to withdraw from the case. He said that he will not defend Sumedh Saini anymore.

Statement by Advo. Satnam Singh Kaler, Chair of Gurdwara Judicial Commission. After facing wrath of Sikh netizens he announced to withdraw from defence of #SumedhSaini. Attempt to damage control by @Akali_Dal_ as #SGPC people forwarding his statement to media persons. pic.twitter.com/vPubF6QAEo

— ਪਰਮਜੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ || Parmjeet Singh (@iamparmjit) May 8, 2020

He also apologised for hurting Sikh feelings.

Not Only Defending Sumedh Saini:

Notably, Satnam Singh Kaler did not only appear for Sumedh Saini in the court. He is known for defending cops who are facing charges of fake encounters, enforces disappearances and extra-judicial murders of Sikh youth during 1980s-1990s period.

LIST of CASES in Which Satnam Singh Kaler Defended Cops Accused of ‘Crimes Against Humanity’:

Advocate Satnam Singh Kaler appeared as defence counsel for various police officers in following fake encounter cases:-

1. CBI versus Dharam Singh, SC-121 of 2017, CBI RC No. 12(s) of 1997, Pending in the court of Karunesh Kumar, CBI Court, SAS Nagar Mohali.
2. CBI versus SI Narinder Singh Malhi, SI Gian Singh, SC-133/2017. CBI RC No. 5(S) of 2000. Decided by Harjeet Singh, CBI Court, SAS Nagar Mohali on 29-09-2018. Sentence of life imprisonment in murder of Harjit Singh Gora of Sultanwind, Amritsar on 11-11-1992.
3. CBI Versus Sant Kumar, Gurbachan Singh, SC-104 of 2017, CBI RC No. 3(s) of 1997, Pending in the court of Harinder Sidhu, CBI Court, SAS Nagar Mohali.
4. CBI Versus Bhupinderjit Singh DSP, Surinderpal Ruby, ASI Tej Bahadur, Insp. Ram Nath, ASI Najjar Singh, SC-146 of 2017, CBI RC No. 7 (S) of 1999, Pending in the court of Karunesh Kumar, CBI Court, SAS Nagar Mohali.
5. CBI versus Harjinderpal Singh, Bachan Dass, SC-100/2017, CBI RC No. 3(S) of 1997. Decided by Nirbhow Singh Gill, CBI Court, SAS Nagar Mohali on 27-02-2019 and sentence to Life Imprisonment in Murder of Kuldeep Singh and Gurmail Singh of Village Lodhi Majra, Ropar.
6. CBI Versus Gurbachan Singh DSP, SC-131 of 2017, Pending in the court of Karunesh Kumar, CBI Court, SAS Nagar Mohali.
7. CBI Versus Jarnail Singh, SC-190039 of 2008, CBI RC No. 3(S) of 2007, Acquitted by CBI Court Patiala on 09-12-2011.
8. CBI Versus ASI Gurdev Singh and Others, SC-190032 of 2004, CBI RC No. 5(S) of 1995, Convicted by CBI Court Patiala on 24-12-2011.
9. CBI Versus Sarabjit Singh, SC-190043 of 2006, CBI RC No. 1(S) of 2003, Acquitted by CBI Court Patiala on 29-07-2013.
10. CBI Versus Pritpal Singh Virk and Others, SC-19023 of 2002 CBI RC No. 5(S) of 1995, Convicted by CBI Court Patiala on 11-03-2013 with 10 years imprisonment for abduction of Sikh football player Tejinder Singh Billu with intent to murder. Notably, the Congress party led present government in Punjab has ordered to release Pritpal Singh Virk after granting him pardon.
11. CBI Versus DSP Ram Singh and 19 Others, SC-12642 of 2013, CBI RC No. 4(S) of 1997. The court convicted 5 police officials and sentenced them to imprisonment for life and acquitted others. The case was decided by the court of Kuldeep Singh, Special CBI Judge Patiala on 31-03-2015. The case was related to extra-judicial killing of 3 Sikh youth Vijaypal Singh of Delhi, Rajwinder Singh and Mukhtiar Singh.
12. CBI Versus ASI Harinder Singh and 3 Others, SC-12568 of 2013, CBI RC No. 7(S) of 1998. The case was convicted by the Court of Kamaljeet Singh, CBI Court Patiala on 01-12-2014 in murder of Harjit Singh R/O Village Sarhala Khurd, Khanna. Convicts were granted imprisonment for life. Notably, Congress led state government granted pardon to all police officials in 2019. They had served only 3 to 4 years in prison.
13. CBI Versus SI Sukhwant Singh and 3 Others, SC-12570 of 2013, CBI RC No. 4(S) of 1997, Convicted to Life Sentence by the Court of Kuldeep Singh, CBI Court Patiala on 31-03-2015 in murder of Baljit Singh.

Advocate Jaspal Singh Manjhpur, who has released this list told Sikh Siyasat News (SSN) that this is a not an exhaustive list and there may be other such cases also.

He pointed that Satnam Singh Kaler had defended Bibi Jagir Kaur, a close associate of Badals, in a case related to death of her own daughter.

Crimes Against Humanity in Punjab:

As per international law organised, systematics and widespread practise of enforced-disappearances amounts to crimes against humanity.

The period of 1980s-90s in Punjab was marred by widespread and systematic wide-spread and systematic human rights abuses by Punjab police and other Indian forces. Enforced disappearances, custodial torture and death, fake encounters were common policing practice during that period. [for more details see:- Death Silence: The Legacy of Human Rights Abuses in Punjab (by Human Rights Watch); Protecting the Killers: A Policy of Impunity in Punjab, India (by Ensaaf and Human Rights Watch); Reduced to Ashes: The Insurgency and Human Rights in Punjab (by CCDP); Smoldering Embers, (by Voices for Freedom)].

Punjab police had unleashed the region of state terror against civilian Sikh population of Punjab during this.

Thousands of Sikhs, mostly youth, were eliminated by Indian forces during 1980s-90s. The black deeds of Punjab police also find mention in US diplomatic cables leaked by Wikileaks.

Why Sikhs Are Angry with Satnam Singh Kaler:

It may appear to some that Sikhs are trying to prevent a professional from carrying his profession freely but it is not so. Sikhs are angry with Satnam Singh Kaler because he holds the post of Chairman of Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission, a statutory post under the Sikh Gurdwara Act 1925.

The expenditure of the commission, including honorarium of its members and chairman, are paid from Gurdwara exchequer, which comprises mainly offerings of the Sikh sangat.

Sikhs are angry because a person holding heading a Sikh commission is defending those who are accused for eliminating Sikh youths in an organised and systematic manner.

Satnam Singh Kaler Should to Resign as Chair of Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission:

Pressure is mounting on Satnam Singh Kaler to resign as chair of Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission.

While pointing that Satnam Singh Kaler is defending many other cops accused of killing Sikhs in fake encounters, Advocate Jaspal Singh Manjhpur said that Satnam Singh Kaler should resign as chairman of ‘Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission.

Tweet

---

To Get Sikh Siyasat News Alerts via WhatsApp:

(1) Save Our WhatsApp Number 0091-855-606-7689 to your phone contacts; and
(2) Send us Your Name via WhatsApp. Click Here to Send WhatsApp Message Now.

Sikh Siyasat is on Telegram Now. Subscribe to our Telegram Channel

---

Related Topics: Balwant Singh Multani, Capt. Amarinder Singh, Congress Government in Punjab 2017-2022, Punjab Police, Satnam Singh Kaler, SGPC, Sumedh Saini, ਸ਼੍ਰੋਮਣੀ ਅਕਾਲੀ ਦਲ (ਬਾਦਲ) Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal)

Leave a Reply