In Part 1 of Rajasthan Crime Files, you read about the Sakhi village case in Raisinghnagar area of Sriganganagar district. Gurmeet Singh, who had gone missing from home during the night, was later found dead inside a water tank (diggi).
By then, the police were convinced that Gurmeet’s death was not accidental. The post-mortem report confirmed that his body had been dumped into the tank after the murder. However, one question still remained unanswered, who had killed him?
Police continued questioning Gurmeet’s wife, Satwinder Kaur. She repeatedly claimed innocence and said that Gurmeet had been under stress. Investigators, however, were unconvinced and believed she was hiding something important.
Villager’s name starts emerging
Meanwhile, one name began to surface repeatedly in the village: Rajwinder Singh alias Babbu.
Several villagers told police that Rajwinder frequently visited Gurmeet’s house. Some people had even seen the two together. However, no one gathered the courage to give an official statement openly.
Police detained Rajwinder and began questioning him. Initially, he denied any involvement, but as investigators linked call records and reconstructed the sequence of events, suspicion against him deepened.
Police interrogated Gurmeet’s wife Satwinder Kaur multiple times.
Children reveal what happened that night
The police then decided to speak with Gurmeet’s children once again.
10-year-old Preet and 7-year-old Jeet were deeply traumatised. They avoided speaking to anyone and would run inside whenever someone approached them. Their health was also deteriorating continuously.
After counselling and reassurance, investigators slowly began questioning them. During the conversation, Preet broke down in tears. What she revealed changed the course of the investigation.
The girl said there had been a major fight in the house that night. According to her, her mother and another man were fighting with her father. She told police that both of them together caught hold of Gurmeet.
“They were abusing Dad. Mum was supporting that uncle too. Mum and that uncle beat Dad so badly that after some time he stopped moving,” she said. The investigating officers were stunned by the statement.
Body dumped in water tank to fake suicide
Preet further revealed that Gurmeet’s body was later dragged to the water tank and thrown inside to make the death appear to be suicide.
By this point, police were convinced that the murder had taken place inside the house and that more than one person was involved. The children’s testimony became the most crucial link in the case.
Gurmeet’s daughter Preet, crying, revealed the truth of that night.
Illicit relationship led to murder
Following this revelation, police intensified the interrogation of Satwinder Kaur and Rajwinder Singh.
After hours of questioning, both eventually confessed. They admitted to being in an illicit relationship and said Gurmeet had become the biggest obstacle between them. Frequent arguments had reportedly taken place in the house over the issue.
On the night of October 20, 2020, another quarrel broke out. In a fit of rage, the two allegedly strangled Gurmeet to death. After killing him, they dumped the body in the water tank to make the murder look like suicide.
Police arrested both accused and filed the case in court.
Daughter’s testimony becomes turning point in court
During the trial, the prosecution presented the post-mortem report, call records, crime scene evidence and the children’s testimony before the court. However, the most emotional moment came when Preet appeared in court to testify.
Silence gripped the courtroom as the young girl, in a trembling voice, recounted the events of that night. She described how her mother and Rajwinder had together killed her father. Her testimony helped establish the sequence of events clearly before the court.
The court concluded that the murder had been pre-planned and that efforts had also been made to destroy evidence.
Court sentences both accused to life imprisonment
After a trial lasting nearly five-and-a-half years, Additional Sessions Judge Rishi Kumar pronounced the verdict. The court sentenced Gurmeet’s wife, Satwinder Kaur, and her lover, Rajwinder Singh alias Babbu, to life imprisonment.
Both were also fined Rs 5,000 each.
