SHALIN MURDER CASE
JAMMU: In the much publicised case of kidnapping and murder for ransom of 10-year old Shalin Gupta, Principal Sessions Judge Jammu R.S Jain on Friday granted bail to Gagan Deep Singh and Ravinder Pal Singh, who are declared as juvenile under J and K Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2013.
While granting bail, the Judge directed duo to be released on bail after furnishing personal bond of Rs. 50,000 each together with surety of like amount.
The Court observed that at the time of occurrence, Gagan Deep Singh was 16 years and 4 months and Ravinder Pal Singh was 17 years and 2 months.
“Consequently they are to be tried by the Juvenile Court”, the Court observed and transferred the case the Court of CJM Jammu.
Earlier, the State High Court on Thursday had set-aside the order of Trial Court regarding dismissal of bail application of Gagandeep Singh and Darvinder Pal Singh,
Shalin Gupta (10), a fifth class student of Air Force school, Satwari, was reportedly abducted from outside his residence at Nai Basti for a ransom of Rs 5 lakh and later murdered mercilessly. His throat was slit and other body parts bore deep injury marks.
According to the police case, on 12th June, 2010, one Naresh Kumar, resident of Nai Basti filed a complaint and submitted that his son Shalin (10) who had gone to Sabzi Mandi Nai Basti on video shop had not returned home.
According to Naresh Kumar, the owner of the video shop told him that his son had left the shop at 8:30 PM for home. At about 9:30 PM he received a call on his cell phone. The anonymous caller demanded Rs 5 lakh for his son. The caller had called from a PCO at Bus Stand. On this information the police recorded the statement of the PCO employee, who told the police that about 9:30 PM two Sikh youth came on his PCO and used the phone for six minutes for which he charged Rs 12 from them. He told the police that he could identify both the Sikh youth who were between the age 18 and 22 years. During search, one Mohinder Pal Gupta told the police that while he was going to the house of his relatives at Nai-Basti and on return at about 12:30 AM, he saw Shalin Gupta along with Darvinder Pal Singh, resident of Nai Basti and another Sikh youth, serving as Sewadar in Gurudwara, going on a motorcycle.
During investigation the name of Gagandeep Singh of Gole Gujral also came to fore. The accused had confessed their involvement in the kidnapping and murder of Shalin Gupta.