Saurabh Malik, Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, April 3. The judgment in the Harpreet Kaur abduction case brings out gory details of attempts made by a mother to safeguard her prestige at the cost of her daughter.
The judgment by Additional Sessions Judge Balbir Singh says: “The conspiracy had been hatched for terminating the pregnancy of Harpreet Kaur, with accused Bibi Jagir Kaur. However, because the status, political and social, of accused Bibi was to be safeguarded at all costs, the Bibi distanced herself from the process of executing the conspiracy and accused Dalwinder Kaur Dhesi, Paramjit Singh Raipur and Nishan Singh, along with approver Dr Balwinder Singh Sohal, took upon themselves to accomplish the object of conspiracy by keeping Bibi informed of the developments from time to time”.
The judgment goes on to say: “There is no difficulty in accepting the version given by the approver regarding the clandestine manner in which Harpreet on the very early morning of March 19, 2000, was taken under sedation from Jasdil Mansion in a vehicle by accused Dalwinder and Paramjit, along with the approver, directly to Kapurthala at the clinic of Dalbir Kaur, staff nurse in the committee bazaar, where Dr Satpal, her husband, was also present.
“According to the approver, he informed Dr Satpal that the pregnancy of the girl, his relative, was to be terminated as she was unmarried…. Dr Satpal and his wife Dalbir Kaur took Harpreet to the delivery room while she was still unconscious and medicines for abortion were administered to Harpreet by Dalbir and Dr Satpal. After examining Harpeet, they told him that the process would be lengthy and they had injected medicine … and the abortion might take place within 24 hours and 72 hours….”
The judgment adds: “If the versions given by the approver and Dalbir are closely scrutinised with the rest of the evidence of the prosecution, it transpires that a clear-cut effort seems to have been made by Dr Sohal apparently to help and save staff nurse Dalbir and her husband Dr Satpal, who jointly terminated the pregnancy of Harpreet Kaur while she was under sedation, without her consent….
“The prosecution has been able to prove that accused Dalwinder Kaur Dhesi, Paramjit and Nishan abducted Harpreet, who was a major, by deceitful means…. The prosecution has further been able to prove that Dhesi and Paramjit got the pregnancy terminated without Harpreet’s consent after keeping her under sedation” and this was done neither in good faith or for saving her life.
