Jassi murder: Canada court to hear review plea on extradition

Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 12

The Supreme Court of Canada yesterday agreed to hear a review appeal on extraditing Jassi Sidhu’s mother Malkit Sidhu and uncle Surjeet Badesha to India in the 2000 honour killing case, even as the Punjab Police have sent a proposal to the state Home Department for conducting their trial though video-conferencing from a Canadian jail.

In February, the British Columbia Supreme Court had in a split ruling denied extradition on the grounds that the accused persons may not face a fair trial in India. The judgment said the duo may face police torture or have to stay in inhuman conditions in jails in Punjab.

News reports from Canada said the country’s Attorney General appeared on behalf of the Indian courts for a review of the British Columbia order. The Attorney General said the Canadian Government had given an undertaking accepting India’s plea for extradition.

“We told Canada earlier that the contention of inhuman conditions was wrong. There are several persons who were extradited from foreign countries and faced trial while lodged in Punjab’s jails. Nevertheless, we have proposed that the duo can remain in a Canadian jail and face trial via video-conferencing,” said Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Inderpreet Singh Sahota, who is the Director, Bureau of Investigation, which deals with extradition cases.

Honour killing 

On June 8, 2000, Jaswinder Kaur Sidhu alias Jassi, a resident of Maple Bridge, Canada, was murdered in Sangrur district by contract killers allegedly hired by her mother and uncle. Jassi had married Sukhwinder Singh alias Mithu, a resident of Kaonke Kalan village (Jagraon), against the wishes of her family. Mithu belonged to a poor family, while Jassi’s kin were well-off. Mithu survived the attack by the killers.