Six officials booked over journalist-terrorist meet in jail

The Punjab Police have registered a case against six prison officials in Patiala following a recent assault on a senior journalist inside the jail premises by a death row convict. The officials have been booked for allowing the meet.

The unauthorised meet was held between senior journalist Kanwar Sandhu and Khalistan supporter and terrorist Balwant Singh Rajoana, a convict in the assassination case of former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh.

Sandhu had gone to meet Rajoana inside the Patiala central jail, 80 km from here, on December 19 without any authorization from senior prison officers. He was allegedly assaulted by Rajoana inside following an argument.

The officials were booked for allowing the meeting and trying to cover up the same by tampering with the prison record.

Jagmel Singh, assistant jail superintendent, who is under suspension, and other prison officials have been charged with cheating, forgery, disobeying law and other sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal ordered a probe into the incident.

Badal directed additional chief secretary (home) Jagpal Singh to get to the bottom of the incident and submit a report at the earliest.

Balwant Singh Rajoana - a Khalistani movement activist sentenced to death for the assassination of the then Punjab chief minister Beant Singh - allegedly assaulted Sandhu as he was upset over video reports released by Sandhu on fake encounters of Punjab Police.