A tale of friendship, deceit and ‘suicides’

The deaths of Jaspal Singh, 22, and inspector Narinder Singh, 50, within 24 hours at a police station led to a furore in the otherwise sleepy town of Faridkot.

The case has exposed chinks in police working and weakening of social ethos, while leaving many questions unanswered.

The body of Jaspal is yet to be recovered. Police claim he committed suicide in the lockup on May 19, hours before Narinder turned an AK-47 on himself at the CIA staff police station.

Before throwing light on what happened at the police station, it’s important to focus on a key dramatis persona in this tale of love, friendship, deceit and suicides:

Ranbir Singh, 28.

Originally Sumit Kumar of Narnaul, Haryana, he converted and became a Nihang to conceal his identity after allegedly setting a man on fire in his village. He is facing two murder bid cases in Moga as well. It’s how he became friends with Jaspal and ended up marrying his lover’s mother, thus turning a foe, is central to this plot. All this happened within just three months.

Jaspal, who belonged to Faridkot, was working as a guard at a factory in Chandigarh, when he came in touch with Ranbir at a gurdwara around February-end. The two became friends after Ranbir helped him by beating up a man, who was threatening to release his objectionable video.

Jaspal was also in touch with an 18-year-old girl of Kapurthala. Sona (name changed to conceal her identity) was preparing for IELTS and Jaspal, who had studied till Class 12, wanted to marry her and go abroad together.

Sona introduced him to her mother, Ranjeet Kaur (named changed), 42, whose husband had died 10 years back.

At Jaspal’s behest, Ranbir visited Kapurthala with the former’s marriage proposal for Sona. However, within a week, Ranbir came close to Ranjeet, who was working as a receptionist, and the two ended up getting married in March.

Suddenly, from a friend, Ranbir became Jaspal’s would-be father-in-law. This triggered the rift in their nascent friendship.

As Jaspal was aware of Ranbir’s criminal background, the latter feared it would harm his marriage. Ranbir, thus, tried to end Jaspal’s relationship with Sona, now his stepdaughter.

Miffed over the breakup, Jaspal along with a friend, Roshan, a history-sheeter, allegedly sent Ranjeet’s objectionable video to Ranbir, the final breaking point in the two men’s relationship.

WHY JASPAL ENDED UP DEAD

To get even with Jaspal, Ranbir — who had gone to Nanded, Maharashtra — allegedly hatched another conspiracy along with Jaswant Singh, alias Bitta, of Langiana village in Moga. The two had become friends a couple of months ago.

Jaswant called Jaspal to a gurdwara at Ratti Rori village in Faridkot on May 18. Two other youths were also called.

Ranbir expected Jaspal to be carrying a .32 bore pistol that he had sold to him. He called the police control room (PCR) in Faridkot from Nanded, alleging that three gangsters, armed with weapons, have assembled at a gurdwara to plan a crime on the day of polling (May 19) for the Lok Sabha elections. CIA in-charge inspector Narinder Singh raided the gurdwara and arrested Jaspal. “Two other youths had already left,” said Faridkot senior superintendent of police Raj Bachan Singh Sandhu.

Without registering any first information report (FIR) or even a daily diary report (DDR), Jaspal was thrown in the lockup. Meanwhile, the inspector reportedly contacted Ranbir on his phone and questioned him about the non-recovery of the alleged pistol. Upon this, Ranbir reportedly sent some pictures of Jaspal with a pistol, which led to the latter’s alleged torture in custody.

Around midnight, Jaspal tried to commit suicide by hanging himself in the cell, but didn’t succeed. Later, he allegedly slit his arm and wrote a suicide note on the wall with blood: “I am committing suicide. Ranbir and my mother-in-law are responsible. I love Sona, who is also responsible”. This entire act was captured in a closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera.

Later, he allegedly ended his life, though no proof is available. From here begins another story, which ended in the inspector’s suicide.

WHY COP COMMITTED SUICIDE

After constable Darshan Singh informed Narinder about Jaspal’s alleged suicide, he rushed to the police station. According to probe, he put a cloth on the CCTV camera and dragged out Jaspal’s body.

In order to remove evidence, he forced Darshan and another constable, Sukhmander Singh, to remove Jaspal’s clothes and other identity marks and put the body in his official vehicle. Narinder and the two constables allegedly took away the body, to be disposed of in a canal, around 5am. It has not been traced so far.

Later, Narinder asked a subordinate to wipe off the suicide note. The latter, however, took a picture, which was later deleted. The reason for this illegal action was that the inspector had already faced two custodial death cases, and a lot of money was spent to reach a compromise, said sources.

Later in the day, Jaspal’s family sought a local politician’s help, who asked Narinder to trace him. When the family reached the police station, Narinder admitted that Jaspal was rounded up but claimed he was released in the morning and had left with a Nihang.

In the meantime, SSP Sandhu came to know about the missing youth and he, sources said, pulled up Narinder. Under pressure, the inspector shot himself with an AK-47 rifle. Before committed suicide, he even sent a voice message to his wife.

While denying that he had pulled up Narinder, the SSP said: “I came to know about the incident after the inspector’s suicide. Had he told me that someone committed suicide in the lockup, I could have saved him.”

Commenting on the evidence, he said: We have scientific evidence and mobile location details indicating that the inspector and two constable drove to the canal to dispose of the body. ”

Even as police have not been able to recover Jaspal’s mobile phone and clothes, which were allegedly disposed of by Narinder, the IT cell was able to retrieve the deleted image of his suicide note. “Forensic experts have confirmed its authenticity,” said the SSP.

WHO ALL ARE BEHIND BARS

The sequence of events post Jaspal’s death became clear after the arrest of the two constables on May 22. The special investigation team (SIT) probing the case has quizzed them again. They are in judicial custody at present.

While all this was happening, Ranjeet was apparently caught unawares, claim police. Though Ranbir had gone to Nanded soon after the wedding, the two were in constant touch on phone. The calls stopped after Jaspal’s death, said sources. Named in the suicide note, she and her daughter face abetment charge. Ranjeet was also accused of kidnapping Jaspal in an initial complaint made by the latter’s family. Though Sona has not been arrested yet, Ranjeet is lodged in the Ferozepur jail under 14-day judicial custody.

Police have also arrested Jaswant Singh and Roshan. Both were known to Ranbir and Jaspal and at some point or the other played a role in the series of crimes that unfolded in the past one month. The biggest breakthrough came when Ranbir surrendered on June 7.

All this while Jaspal’s family along with farmer and student organisations had laid a siege to the SSP’s office. After the main accused’s arrest and promise of ₹5 lakh compensation and a job to the next of kin, the dharna was lifted.

“We have got the remand of Ranbir to investigate all angles. His grilling will end all questions, which are still unanswered. During the interrogation so far, both Ranbir and Roshan have provided some crucial information. They all are connected and were involved in criminal activities for some time,” said the SSP, who is part of the four-member SIT, on Saturday.