Former Punjab minister Bibi Jagir Kaur acquitted in daughter Harpreet Kaur's death case

Jagir Kaur's 19-year-old daughter was found dead under mysterious circumstances in 2000.

Bibi Jagir Kaur (PTI File photo)

CHANDIGARH: Former Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) president Bibi Jagir Kaur was acquitted in the mysterious death case of her daughter Harpreet Kaur on Tuesday by the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Others convicted in the case were also acquited by the court.

The court set aside the 2012 Patiala CBI special court order which convicted and sentenced her to five years' imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 5000 in the case.

In April 2000, Bibi Jagir Kaur's 19-year-old daughter Harpreet Kaur was found dead under mysterious circumstances. She was hastily cremated by the family members. There was no post-mortem conducted. According to reports, Harpreet had secretly married a youth, Kamaljit Singh, belonging to a lower caste. 

The lower court later sentenced Jagir Kaur to five years rigorous imprisonment in 2012 on counts of forcible abortion, wrongful confinement, abduction and criminal conspiracy. She was, however, cleared her of murder charge of her daughter Harpreet. 

Jagir Kaur, the lone woman minister in the then Badal government in 2000, was forced to resign on moral grounds.