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Updated: Sep 22, 2019 08:13 IST

Mohali Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has denied the involvement of Khubi Ram, currently posted as Punjab CM’s security adviser, in a 1993 case concerning the alleged killing of six people, including a Baba Charan Singh in Tarn Taran.

The CBI was replying to an application moved before CBI special judge Karunesh Kumar by one of the witnesses Kanwar Singh Dhami, pleading to summon Khubi Ram as an additional accused in the case. He had deposed before the court saying that he (Dhami) shared the cell with Charan Singh at CIA office Tarn Taran. As per Dhami’s statement, Charan Singh had told him that he and his five relatives were tortured by the police. Dhami alleged that Khubi Ram, who was SP (operations) then, had received directions from his seniors to eliminate Charan Singh.

“No incriminating evidence was found against the then SP (operations) (Khubi Ram) that he indulged in the commission of heinous crime in the said case,” the CBI told the court, adding the “application was filed with ulterior motive to delay and derail the trial”.

The case was handed over to the CBI in 1997 on the direction of Punjab and Haryana high court on a petition filed by Surjit Kaur, wife of Charan Singh, who had lost her six relatives, including her husband. The challan in the case was filed in 2001. The court was told that in 1992-93 her husband and five others were picked by the police and kept in illegal custody for 43 days where they were tortured.

The CBI investigations had concluded that Charan Singh and his three brothers Meja Singh, Kesar Singh, Gurdev Singh, his brother-in-law Gurmej Singh and his son Balwinder Singh and nephew were abducted from different places and after illegal detention, false cases were registered against them. Later, they were shown as killed during their bid to escape from the custody.

The CBI told the court that investigations revealed that Charan Singh was abducted in April 1993 from near Tarn Taran by a police party headed by inspector Suba Singh of CIA staff when he, along with his relatives, was going to surrender before then Tarn Taran SSP Ajit Singh Sandhu, who is now dead.

After abduction, Charan Singh was taken to CIA office by inspector Suba Singh where he was interrogated by SSP Sandhu and DSP Gurmit Singh. During the investigations, Charan Singh was taken to Chhani in Baroda by a police team headed by DSP Kashmir Singh Gill of Punjab Police in July 1993. Charan Singh was made to withdraw ₹4.17 lakh and the money was taken away by DSP Gurmit Singh, the CBI investigations found. The CBI also said that police had taken away several vehicles from the gurdwara run by Charan Singh.