Two decades after the infamous tragedy of Indo-Canadian woman Jaswinder Kaur, aka Jassi, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has granted bail to Jassi’s mother Malkiat Kaur Sidhu. The order by Justice Fateh Deep Singh came after the petitioner-mother underwent incarceration for more than seven years and eight months.

CHANDIGARH – Two decades after the infamous tragedy of Indo-Canadian woman Jaswinder Kaur, aka Jassi, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has granted bail to Jassi’s mother Malkiat Kaur Sidhu. The order by Justice Fateh Deep Singh came after the petitioner-mother underwent incarceration for more than seven years and eight months.

The mother had moved the High Court seeking regular bail in the FIR registered on June 9, 2000, for murder, abduction and other offences under Sections 302, 307, 364, 148, 149 and 120B of the IPC and the provisions of the Arms Act at the Amargarh police station in Sangrur district.

The complainant-husband, Sukhwinder Singh, had claimed that he entered into a love marriage with Jassi on April 15, 1999, against her parents’ wishes. Residents of Canada, they had come to India on a vacation. He alleged the mother, perturbed over the solemnisation of marriage, hatched a conspiracy to eliminate the couple and paid Rs 500,000 to contract killers.

Her counsel PS Brar contended the petitioner had remained behind bars for more than seven years and eight months from the date of her extradition proceedings. The trial may be prolonged following the COVID outbreak. Opposing the bail plea, state counsel JS Ghuman submitted the petitioner was a Canadian resident. If allowed bail, she might abscond and also influence the witness.

Justice Fateh Deep Singh asserted: “The only allegations against the petitioner are that she had been instrumental in the attack leading to the death of one of the persons and injuries of others. The court was impelled to allow the petition subject to the furnishing of bail and surety bonds of Rs 20,00,000 with two local sureties. The order was passed after taking into consideration the substantial detention already undergone by her, along with her age and the fact that she was a woman.”

It was around 9.30 pm on June 8, 2000 when rickshaw driver Sukhwinder Singh and his Indo-Canadian wife Jaswinder Kaur, aka Jassi, were coming on a scooter when a car accosted them near a bridge. Four armed persons attacked the two after alighting from the vehicle. Jaswinder Kaur became the alleged victim of “honour killing” while Sukhwinder Singh was hospitalised. Among other allegations, allegations were levelled against Jassi’s mother.

The Canadian media has covered the case well with features and news stories as well as films like CBC’s overblown Murder Unveiled.