Chandigarh, March 16: The court of Additional Sessions Judge Barinder Singh Romana has convicted former MLA Jasbir Singh, popularly known as Jassi Khangura, in an 18-year-old assault case stemming from the 2008 local body elections. The court also convicted a co-accused, Gurpreet Singh, sentencing both individuals to two years of imprisonment.
The verdict follows an appeal filed by the complainant, Faqir Singh, who had challenged a 2017 lower court order that initially acquitted the former legislator. In addition to the prison term, the court imposed a fine of Rs 3,000 on each convict. While the appeal was partly allowed regarding Khangura and Gurpreet Singh, the court upheld the acquittal of 11 other individuals previously linked to the case.
The prosecution stated that the incident occurred in May 2008 at Government Senior Secondary School, Dehlon, during the Block Samiti and Zila Parishad elections. Faqir Singh, who was serving as a presiding officer, alleged that he was confronted and manhandled by a group of individuals while attempting to deposit sealed ballot boxes.
The complainant asserted that Khangura arrived at the scene with a large group of supporters following a phone call. He maintained that the former MLA and his associates subjected him to physical assault, which included being punched, kicked, and having his turban removed. Medical records from the time declared that the official sustained six injuries to his face, torso, and limbs.
The court affirmed that both convicts have been released on bail to allow them to challenge the conviction before the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Khangura and Gurpreet Singh paid their respective fines in court immediately following the sentencing.
