A Mohali court has issued fresh non-bailable warrants against five police officials who are prosecution witnesses in the firing on Punjabi singer-actor Parmish Verma that took place in 2018, after the prosecution repeatedly failed to conclude its evidence.
The court of additional sessions judge Prashant Verma also wrote to the deputy inspector general (DIG), Ropar range, directing him to ensure that the witnesses are produced before the court. It granted the prosecution a final opportunity to conclude its entire evidence on September 17.
The warrants were issued against Gurkirat Singh, assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Sukhpal Singh, ASI Jaspal Singh, SI Malkit Singh and ASI Sewa Singh.
The court noted that charges in the case were framed on January 18, 2024, but the prosecution had already availed several opportunities to conclude its evidence. It observed that the delay had caused an “inordinate delay” in the trial.
The four accused — Dilpreet Singh Dhahan alias Baba, Sukhpreet Singh Budha, Ashish and Harjinder Singh — were produced before the court through video-conferencing. The court directed that production warrants be issued for them for September 17.
The order came after accused Ashish moved an application seeking an expeditious trial. The court said the trial was already being conducted at a fast pace and that it had granted the prosecution a final opportunity to complete its evidence.
The court also pulled up its ahlmad after the process for issuing the warrants had not been initiated earlier and warned him to remain careful in future. It said proceedings under Section 36 of the Punjab Courts Act would be initiated if such lapses continued.
The case dates back to 2018, when Verma and his friend Kulwant Singh Chahal came under fire in Mohali while returning home after an event in Chandigarh. Both suffered bullet injuries. Police later filed a chargesheet against gangster Dhahan and his aide Arun Kumar alias Sunny, alleging an attempt to murder. Dhahan was arrested in July 2018 after a shootout with a joint team of Punjab and Chandigarh police in Sector 43, while Budha was later brought back to India from Armenia.