Murder of Jaswant Singh Khalra
Over twelve years ago on September 6, 1995, Indian security forces abducted human rights defender Jaswant Singh Khalra because of his work exposing the disappearances and killings of thousands of Sikhs in Punjab. Indian security forces subsequently tortured and murdered Khalra in late October 1995. The Indian government has refused to bring former police chief KPS Gill to justice for his role in Khalra’s torture and murder, and continues to thwart any investigation into the disappearances and killings that Khalra brought to light.
After the Punjab police abducted Khalra, the Committee for Information and Initiative in Punjab (CIIP) filed a petition in the Supreme Court, demanding a comprehensive inquiry into Khalra's allegations. This petition initiated the Punjab mass cremations case.
This page provides further materials on Khalra, including the different legal and educational initiatives for justice for Khalra and his family.
Tenth Anniversary
On September 6, 2005, Ensaaf, Human Rights Watch and the Center for Human Rights and Global Justice at New York University School of Law submitted a joint letter and background packet to the Congressional Human Rights Caucus urging it to hold hearings into the disappearances and killings revealed by Khalra.
Conviction of Six Police Officers
On Friday, November 18, 2005, Additional District Judge Bhupinder Singh in Patiala convicted six Punjab police officials in Khalra’s 1995 abduction and murder.
Summary of Order: This summary discusses in detail the motive behind the abduction and murder of Jaswant Singh Khalra, the criminal conspiracy to abduct, illegally detain and kill him; details of the abduction, illegal detention, torture and murder of Khalra; the defense's case; sentencing; subsequent filings; and intimidation and harassment of witnesses.
Order: Part 1 (paras. 1-18) (pdf, 2.7 MB), Part 2 (paras. 19-32) (pdf, 2.7 MB), Part 3 (paras 32-47) (pdf, 1.9 MB)
Rights Groups Call for Prosecution of Gill
On May 1, 2006, Ensaaf, Human Rights Watch, REDRESS, and the Center for Human Rights and Global Justice wrote to the Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), calling on the CBI to investigate and prosecute former Director General of Police KPS Gill for Khalra’s abduction, illegal detention, torture, and murder. Given the weight of the evidence that emerged during the trial of his subordinates, under international law, there is a clear legal case to be made against Gill for his prosecution.
Khalra’s Last International Speech
In August 2006, Ensaaf released Khalra’s last speech made to an audience in Canada, with English subtitles, in which Khalra discusses his investigations and his readiness to die to expose the truth about these crimes.
High Court Petition Filed against KPS Gill
On September 6, 2006, Khalra’s widow Paramjit Kaur, represented by Punjab & Haryana High Court attorney Rajvinder S. Bains, filed a legal petition calling for Gill’s investigation and prosecution, after the CBI refused to take any steps. Ensaaf drafted the petition's international law arguments on the doctrine of superior responsibility. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for May 13, 2008.
Appeals of Convictions in Khalra Case
On October 8, 2007, a division bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court issued a judgment in the appeals relating to the convictions of six police officers for their roles in the abduction and murder of human rights defender Jaswant Singh Khalra. The High Court upheld the convictions of Punjab police officers Jaspal Singh, Satnam Singh, Surinderpal Singh, Pritpal Singh, and Jasbir Singh, and acquitted Amarjit Singh of all charges. On October 16, 2007, the High Court enhanced the sentences of four officers, so that all five convicted officers must serve life imprisonment. Read a summary of both orders. The police officers have appealed their convictions to the Supreme Court and filed applications for bail.
Khalra's Killer Schemes His Way out of Jail
Jaspal Singh, Deputy Superintendent of Police, was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Jaswant Singh Khalra in November 2005. However, he continued to leave the jail on a regular basis to visit his home and areas around Jalandhar until July 2007.
Joint Report Highlights Khalra Case
On October 18, 2007, Ensaaf and Human Rights Watch released a joint report, "Protecting the Killers: A Policy of Impunity in Punjab, India," that discusses the Khalra case in extensive detail.
The video testimonials released with the report include an interview with Jaswant Singh Khalra's daughter Navkiran Kaur.
Other Materials on Khalra
- Ensaaf, Press Release, Anniversary of the Abduction of Jaswant Singh Khalra: Twelve Years On, KPS Gill Still Free, September 2007
- Dateline (SBS) Australia video (transcript, video clips)
- Biography of Khalra: Chapter 1 of Reduced to Ashes
- Meenakshi Ganguly, Human Rights Watch, Other Screams of Terror, September 2005
- Amnesty International, A Mockery of Justice: The “disappearance” of Jaswant Singh Khalra, April 1998
