New York, New York (KP) - Human rights organizations, ENSAAF, Human Rights Watch, REDRESS, and the Center for Human Rights and Global Justice in a joint letter to India's Central Bureau of Investigation demanded prosecution of ex-Punjab Police chief KP Gill for the murder of human right's defender Jaswant Singh Khalra.
The following is the text that was sent to the press :
May 1, 2006
Mr. Vijay Shanker
Director
Central Bureau of Investigation
Block No. 4, 6th Floor,
CGO Complex
Lodi Road
New Delhi 110003
Re: K.P.S. Gill
Dear Mr. Shanker,
In early December 2005, Mrs. Paramjit Kaur Khalra wrote to you requesting that you initiate an independent investigation and bring charges against former Director General of Police (DGP) K.P.S. Gill for his alleged role in the murder of her husband, Jaswant Singh Khalra in October 1995. Over ten years ago, members of the Punjab police operating under Mr. Gill abducted, tortured, and murdered human rights defender Jaswant Singh Khalra because of his courageous work in exposing the "disappearances," custodial deaths, and secret cremations of thousands of Sikhs in Punjab. On November 18, 2005, Additional Sessions Judge Bhupinder Singh convicted and sentenced six Punjab police officers for their roles in the murder. Though long overdue, these convictions were an important milestone in Mrs. Khalra's search for justice.
Mrs. Khalra has campaigned tirelessly for justice despite severe police harassment. Her request for your intervention is based on testimony that emerged during the trial of the six police officers. On September 11, 1995, five days after Punjab police abducted Mr. Khalra, the Supreme Court issued formal notice and service to DGP Gill of a habeas corpus petition filed on behalf of Mr. Khalra. The testimony of Special Police Officer (SPO) Kuldip Singh established at trial that Mr. Gill ignored the pending habeas corpus petition and personally interrogated Mr. Khalra in October 1995, while Mr. Khalra was illegally detained at the residence of Senior Superintendent of Police
(SSP) Ajit S. Sandhu.
Evidence from the trial also indicates that Mr. Gill authorized the abduction and murder of Mr. Khalra. SPO Kuldip Singh testified that, according to his superior, during the interrogation Mr. Gill gave Mr. Khalra a choice between life and death. In order to live, Mr. Khalra simply had to follow Mr. Gill's advice and stop his human rights work.
The police murdered Mr. Khalra in late October 1995. On November 15, 1995, the Supreme Court issued another order on the habeas corpus petition, ordering the CBI to inquire into Mr. Khalra's "disappearance" because the police investigation had not yielded any results. The Supreme Court further directed Mr. Gill to "render all assistance and help to the CBI."
At a minimum, Mr. Gill failed to take necessary and reasonable measures to prevent Mr. Khalra's murder. Mr. Gill also ignored court orders. Despite receiving formal service in September 1995 about an active habeas corpus petition before the Supreme Court, Mr. Gill failed to disclose Mr. Khalra's whereabouts while he was alive. At the time that Mr. Gill interrogated Mr. Khalra, Mr. Khalra allegedly could barely move from the torture he had experienced at the hands of Mr. Gill's subordinate officers. At that time, Mr. Gill was legally required to order Mr. Khalra's release, thereby ending his illegal detention and further torture, and preventing his murder.
In its November 1995 order, the Supreme Court explicitly identified Mr. Gill's subordinate officers as alleged to be involved in Mr. Khalra's "disappearance," and directed a copy of its order to DGP Gill. The court ordered Mr. Gill to provide assistance in locating Mr. Khalra. Mr. Gill thus had well-publicized information in his possession that put him on notice about his subordinates' illegal activities. Yet Mr. Gill ignored the Supreme Court's order. He further failed to punish any officers after the murder of Mr. Khalra, despite his personal knowledge of the officers who illegally detained, tortured and murdered Mr. Khalra.
Given the weight of the evidence available in the public domain about Mr. Gill's role in this case, the CBI must undertake an impartial and thorough inquiry as soon as possible and then refer the case for appropriate prosecution. Both Indian and international law provide a clear framework to prosecute the kinds of acts and omissions described in this case (please see the Appendix for a short discussion of relevant international law).
We are therefore disappointed that the Central Bureau of Investigation has yet to respond to Mrs. Khalra's letter of December 2005. We urge you to address this matter on an urgent basis, not just because justice has already been inordinately delayed, but also because Mr. Gill is continuing to act as a governmental advisor on counter-insurgency operations. His recent appointment as Security Advisor to the Chattisgarh government provides every reason to fear the advice he will offer to the state police in their efforts to counter the Naxalites.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Brad Adams
Executive Director, Asia Division
Human Rights Watch
Jaskaran Kaur
Executive Director
ENSAAF
Carla Ferstman
Director
REDRESS
Smita Narula
Faculty Director
Center for Human Rights and Global Justice
CC: Paramjit Kaur Khalra
