Kaunke disappearance case: Mount pressure on Punjab government to ensure arrest of culprits, Akal Takht to SGPC
Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh, in a communiqué to SGPC, said it must be ensured that culprits are arrested and brought to justice.
Akal Takht jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh on Monday directed the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to pressurise Punjab government to probe the inquiry report made public by the Punjab Human Rights Organization (PHRO) into the disappearance of acting jathedar Gurdev Singh Kaunke.
Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh, in a communiqué to SGPC, said it must be ensured that culprits are arrested and brought to justice.
“Murder of Bhai Gurdev Singh Kaunke is a heinous example of the genocide of thousands of Sikh youths by the then CM Beant Singh-led Congress government through DGP KPS Gill. Exemplary punishments to the culprits, by exposing the killers of Kuanke and bringing the truth before the world is necessary,” jathedar said.
“The SGPC is directed to ensure adequate action and trial against the killers by legally examining the report submitted by the then ADGP (Security), Punjab, BP Tiwari”, he said.
The jathedar directions came days after Punjab Human Rights Organization (PHRO) chairman Sarabjit Singh Verka claimed to have made the 1999 inquiry report of the then Punjab ADGP, BP Tiwari in case of ‘forced disappearance’ of former Akal Takht acting jathedar Gurdev Singh Kaunke public.
The report, circulated by Verka, questions the role of the police in the case. “Keeping in view of the circumstances, it is proved that the then inspector Gurmeet Singh, SHO, Jagraon, led police party took away Gurdev Singh Kaunke from his house on 25 December 1992 and he never returned. This police version is not believable that he was arrested on January 2, 1993, and he escaped from the police custody by breaking the belt after the terrorists launched firing at the police at village Kania”, reads the conclusion of the report.
Kaunke was appointed as acting jathedar of the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs with the support of pro-Khalistan groups during a “Sarbat Khalsa” (Sikh congregation) held on January 26, 1986, when militancy was at its peak in Punjab.
