A special CBI court in Patiala today convicted Punjab cabinet minister Bibi Jagir Kaur in the murder case of her daughter Harpreet Kaur, who died under mysterious circumstances in 2000.
The court held Bibi Jagir Kaur guilty under Section 120-B, 313, 365, 344 of IPC but acquitted her under section 302.She was sentenced to 5 years of rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs 5,000.
Accused Paramjit Singh, Dalwinder Kaur Dhesi and Nishan Singh were held guilty under Sections 365 and 344. Dalwinder and Paramjit were also convicted under Section 313. Accused Harminder and Satya Devi were acquitted of all charges.
Bibi Jagir Kaur and other convicts were later arrested and sent in judicial custody for 14 days after the pronouncement of the court order.
Bibi Jagir Kaur is the only woman in the state cabinet and holds the charges of three department, including rural water supply and sanitation.
The CBI had registered an FIR in the case following Punjab and Haryana high court orders, after Kamaljeet Singh of Begowal approached it accusing Bibi Jagir Kaur of conspiring the murder of Harpreet.
Harpreet had a love affair with Kamaljeet of Begowal village, where Bibi Jagir Kaur runs a dera. The former SGPC chief was against their marriage.
According to Kamaljit, he and Harpreet had secretly married and the latter was six-month pregnant when she was murdered at the behest of Jagir Kaur at Phagwara.
Last week, Kamaljit had written to Punjab chief minister, seeking security in view of the upcoming verdict.
Several witnesses turning hostile as the case progressed in CBI court. Even complainant Kamaljit Singh turned hostile, only to reaffirm the charges later.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the prosecuting agency in the case, had framed charges of criminal conspiracy, abortion without woman's consent, wrongful confinement, kidnapping, murder and destroying evidence against Bibi Jagir Kaur, Dalwinder Kaur, Paramjit Singh, sub-inspector Nishan Singh, Satya, Harvinder Kumar and Sanjeev Kumar, besides others.
According to the CBI, Dalwinder poisoned Harpreet by mixing phenobarbitone into her food. As per the prosecution, Bibi Jagir Kaur asked Dr BS Sohal, a medical officer at the Sant Baba Prem Singh dispensary, Begowal, to suggest a poison to kill Harpreet after she allegedly failed to persuade her daughter to leave Kamaljit.
Timeline
April 20, 2000: Bibi Jagir Kaur's daughter Harpreet Kaur dies mysteriously; cremated a day later without post-mortem examination or inquest
April 27, 2000: Kamaljit Singh files petition in Punjab and Haryana high court, alleging that his wife Harpreet was murdered
September 2000: High court orders CBI probe into case October 2000: CBI arrests Dalwinder Kaur Dhesi and Paramjit Singh Raipur, a Phagwara-based couple, on the charges of forcible abortion, conspiring to murder and destruction of evidence
November 2008: Accused-turned approver Dr BS Sohal dies in road accident at Amritsar
March 17, 2012: Court completes trial
March 30: Bibi Jagir Kaur held guilty
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