MOHALI: A court of additional district and sessions judge TPS Randhawa has acquitted two BSF personnel, Prem Singh resident of Naushera Dhalla Tarantaran and Anil Kumar resident of Tungwala in Amritsar, of charges related to an alleged conspiracy to commit dacoity holding that the prosecution failed to establish any concrete link between them and the alleged conspiracy.The court of Additional Sessions Judge acquitted the two accused of charges under Sections 399, 402 and 473 of the Indian Penal Code, observing that there was no recovery of weapons or other incriminating material from their possession.The prosecution also failed to produce any call detail record (CDR) showing their contact with the other accused.The case dates back to September 1, 2015, when the police claimed to have received information that a group of persons was planning a robbery in Mohali.However, no accused was arrested at the spot.The prosecution later alleged that the accused were also involved in smuggling weapons and drugs from across the border.The court noted that, apart from disclosure statements of co-accused, there was no independent or substantive evidence connecting Prem Singh and Anil Kumar with the alleged conspiracy or cross-border arms smuggling.Jindi gets one-year sentence in arms recovery caseThe court, however, convicted Jatinder Singh alias Jindi under Section 25 of the Arms Act and sentenced him to one year in prison and a fine of Rs 3,000.According to the prosecution, Jindi was arrested in the Jalandhar Cantt area on December 31, 2015.A .30-bore pistol, 28 live cartridges and a holster were allegedly recovered from him.The court held that the recovery stood proved on the basis of the testimony of police officials and identification of the weapon and cartridges during the trial.The defence had questioned the failure to promptly send the recovered weapon for forensic examination, its production in a plastic jar and the nearly 10-year delay in obtaining sanction under Section 39 of the Arms Act.The court rejected the objections, observing that delay in obtaining sanction did not by itself invalidate the recovery and that no material prejudice had been caused to the accused.Jindi had already undergone one year, eight months and 17 days in custody during the investigation and trial.The court took the period into account while sentencing him.As he had already undergone more than the one-year sentence imposed, he had effectively served the sentence. He also deposited the Rs 3,000 fine.
Two co-accused remain fugitives
Gurjant Singh alias Bholu and Sandeep Singh were also arrested in December 2015 in connection with the case.The police had alleged that weapons were recovered from them and that they fired at the police party during their arrest.Both were subsequently declared proclaimed offenders during the trial. Bholu was declared a proclaimed offender on April 24, 2025.The court ordered that proceedings against them would be reopened if they were arrested or appeared before the court.
