The witness, Rajiv Singh, who claimed that he was present at Khalra’s house when the episode occurred, also listed a number of “false” cases slapped on him by the police force during the past five years to force him not to appear as a witness in the case. He claimed that he had been discharged in all cases which also included a murder case.

Rajiv Singh, while deposing in the court of Additional Sessions Judge S.P. Bangarh, said he was waiting in the drawing room of the human rights activist on September 6, 1995, when the incident took place. “Khalra was out washing his car while I was waiting for an Indian Express journalist who was to visit the house”. He said he was forced to go out when he heard raised voices and came face to face with a police team.

Rajiv Singh said the police team was headed by DSP Jaspal Singh and included the now deceased, DSP Ashok Kumar, SHOs Surinderpal Singh, Satnam Singh and Jasbir Singh besides SI Amarjit Singh, ASI Rachhpal Singh and Head Constable Prithipal Singh. He said he heard Jaspal Singh telling Khalra to accompany the team as he had been called by the then Tarn Taran SSP, Ajit Singh Sandhu.

“I intercepted in the matter and requested the DSP that Khalra would present himself before the SSP in proper attire but I was pushed aside”. Following this, he said, the DSP pushed Khalra into the Maruti van and his last words before leaving the place were to a senior police officer on his walky talky saying “kaam ho gaya”.

The witness claimed that after the kidnapping, he immediately rang up Mrs Paramjit Kaur Khalra who was in the library of Guru Nanak Dev University. He said at his instance Mrs Khalra came to the main gate of the university and he took her in a car to the nearest police station. “We were told that Khalra had not got there following which we rang up former Justice Ajit Singh Bains and also Shiromani Akali Dal human rights wing chairman Jaspal Singh Dhillon.

Rajiv Singh said he also took Mrs Khalra to meet the then DIG, Border Range, Mr D.R. Bhatti, who after listening to them asked them to contact the then DGP, Mr K.P.S. Gill, as the “issue was very serious”. He said despite various attempts, they could not find any trace of the human rights activist.

The witness also documented the number of cases filed against him during the past five years alleging this was done to stop him from giving witness in the case. He said a case was slapped on him when he went to give a memorandum to the United State’s First Secretary in the Golden Temple in 1998 under charges that he was getting a book on Khalistan released on the occasion. He said he was discharged in the case as well as in two others in which he was accused of indulging in a bank robbery and also being involved in the murder of a bank manager and a gunman. Rajiv Singh said a case was also registered against him for allegedly giving a bribe of Rs 50,000 to another witness in the case, Kuldeep Singh, which was also found to be false by the State Human Rights Commission.