AMRITSAR: Additional Session Judge Karnail Singh has awarded life sentence to five policemen including Sub Inspector Lahwinder Singh for custodial death case of 2005.

Judgment in this case came on Wednesday but its details were made available on Thursday.  Additional Session judge awarded life sentence to five policemen under section of 302 of IPC and also slapped fine of Rs. 2000 to each accused.

According to the prosecution, on November 23, 2005,  a case was registered against the Assistant Sub Inspector (now sub inspector) Lakhwinder Singh, constables Kabul Singh, Daljit Singh, Kulwant Singh and Tarsem Singh for creating circumstances for victim Sukhjidner Singh to commit suicide in police custody.

Mohinder Singh Grandfather of victim Sukhjidner Singh in his complaint had said that Police rounded up Sukhjinder Singh in theft case of cooking gas cylinder. Sukhjinder Singh was interrogated and beaten up brutally in police custody who died when he fell unconscious during the physical interrogation in police custody, said in his complaint Mohinder Singh.

After the death of Sukhjidner was also taken to hospital where he was declared brought dead. Doctors in the postmortem reports have clearly described the death reasons of fatal injuries which were inflicted in police custody.

Mohidner Singh had complaint lodged in the police station of Beas a  45 kilometers away from Amritsar. However victim and his grandfather were the residents of Raya town 40 kilometer away from Amritsar.

After the incident Assistant Inspector Lahwinder Singh was promoted as Sub Inspector and posted in the police station Harikey.Now all the accused who were awarded life sentence were sent to Amritsar Central jail.