Petition filed in Punjab and Haryana HC over alleged false encounter of NRI in Patiala

Chandigarh [India], July 22 (ANI): A petition has been filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court by Gurtej Singh Dhillon, seeking an independent investigation into the alleged false encounter of 22-year-old Jaspreet Singh, a Non-Resident Indian (NRI) who was killed by Punjab Police in Patiala on March 13, 2025.

Gurtej Singh Dhillon is the brother-in-law of Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath, a serving army officer who, along with his son, was allegedly assaulted by the same police team near Rajindra Hospital, Patiala, earlier that night.

According to the petition, the police claimed that Jaspreet Singh was involved in the kidnapping of a minor and was shot during a gunfight after refusing to stop his vehicle. The FIR states that Singh, who was allegedly armed, opened fire on police officers, injuring two of them, and was subsequently killed in retaliatory firing. However, the petitioner has alleged that this was a staged encounter, orchestrated under the influence of liquor and misused authority, as the same officers had been recently rewarded and appreciated for earlier actions.

The post-mortem report of Jaspreet Singh has been attached with the petition, highlighting seven injuries, including fatal wounds to the forehead and chest from point-blank range, suggesting a close-range execution. The petitioner claims these findings strongly contradict the official version provided by the police and point to a fabricated narrative.

The petition further reveals that Jaspreet Singh has been a student residing in Canada since 2022 and has recently married. He had returned to India just days before the incident. The family, reportedly under pressure and facing threats, is being discouraged from pursuing legal remedies. A previous petition seeking a CBI inquiry into the encounter, filed by the victim parents, is currently pending before the High Court, but Dhillon fears it may be withdrawn under pressure, which led him to file this fresh plea to ensure justice.

The petitioner also draws attention to a broader pattern of encounters in Punjab, stating that 20 such incidents have taken place between February and July 2025. A news report from an English daily has been submitted as evidence, indicating public concern over a rise in police-led encounters and the lack of accountability. Another news item appended to the petition shows that Punjab Police officials involved in this specific encounter were not only publicly praised by their superiors but also allegedly awarded with Rs 10 lakh and out-of-turn promotions.

Dhillon argues that an unbiased investigation is not possible if handled by Punjab Police, as the accused are their own officials. He therefore seeks that the case be transferred to an independent agency. Notably, the High Court has already handed over a related case, regarding the assault on Col. Bath and his son, to the CBI for investigation.

The matter is expected to be taken up in the coming weeks, while the earlier petition in the case is listed for hearing on September 17. (ANI)

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