Bathinda: More than 21 months after the Punjab and Haryana high court directed an expedited trial into the 2017 Maur terror blast, a majority of the 136 prosecution witnesses are yet to be examined. During the latest hearing on Wednesday, the matter was adjourned to July 9.
Background of the Case
On August 20, 2024, a bench of then High Court Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Anil Kshetarpal disposed of a petition seeking to transfer the probe to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) or the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Instead, the court chose to trust the trial court to fast-track proceedings. Since the prime accused remain at large, the trial is being conducted in their absence under Section 299 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), now Section 335 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, before the judicial magistrate first class (JMIC) in Talwandi Sabo.
The 2017 Maur Terror Blast
On January 31, 2017, a car bomb ripped through an election rally for Congress candidate Harminder Singh Jassi, just four days before the Punjab assembly elections. The explosion killed seven people, including five children, and injured dozens. The Punjab Police subsequently booked three suspects: Gurtej Singh, Amrik Singh, and Avtar Singh, who are allegedly associated with the Dera Sacha Sauda. The three were declared proclaimed offenders on October 19, 2018.
Progress of the Trial
While a chargesheet was filed in January 2020, the prosecution evidence stage has dragged on for over six years. In terms of asset recovery, an auction of property registered under the name of accused Amrik Singh raised Rs 49.25 lakh on August 5, 2024. The proceeds were deposited in the bank in two installments on August 7 and 14, 2024. Meanwhile, police investigations revealed that the other two accused, Gurtej Singh and Avtar Singh, hold no assets in their names.
Police Actions
According to the Bathinda Police, lookout circulars were issued against the accused to prevent their escape to foreign countries. Passports of all three accused had been revoked. Regular raids were conducted to arrest the wanted accused. Despite these efforts, the accused remain at large, and the trial proceeds without them.
