Six officials booked over jourlist-terrorist meet in jail

CHANDIGARH, Dec 26: The Punjab Police have registered a case against six prison officials in Patiala following a recent assault on a senior jourlist inside the jail premises by a death row convict. The officials have been booked for allowing the meet.

The uuthorized meet was held between senior jourlist Kanwar Sandhu and Khalistan supporter and terrorist Balwant Singh Rajoa, a convict in the assassition case of former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh. Sandhu had gone to meet Rajoa inside the Patiala central jail, 80 km from here, on December 19 without any authorization from senior prison officers. He was allegedly assaulted by Rajoa 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 Pel Code (IPC).

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

Badal directed additiol chief secretary (home) Jagpal Singh to get to the bottom of the incident and submit a report at the earliest. Balwant Singh Rajoa - a Khalistani movement activist sentenced to death for the assassition 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. (IANS)