12 get life in jail for 2009 Haryana honour killing

Express news service, Fri, Sep 30, 2011, Chandigarh:

The Sessions Court in Jind on Thursday sentenced 12 people to life imprisonment in the Ved Pal honour killing case of 2009. Ved Pal was lynched by a mob that consisted of his in-laws and wife Sonia’s relatives. The court sentenced Sonia’s father and her relatives to life imprisonment and also imposed a fine of Rs 6,500 on each of them.

Of the 14 accused, 12 were convicted on Saturday, while trial against Sonia’s mother Dhanpati is still on. Another accused, Pawanjit Bhanwala, president of the Bhanwala khap, was acquitted by the Sessions Court.

Dhanpati, who was earlier declared a proclaimed offender by the court, was arrested recently.

Besides Sonia’s father Dhanraj, Judge R N Bharti awarded life imprisonment to Shamsher, Mewa Singh, Randhir, Satpal, Ramdiya, Rammehar, Dharampal, Ramkumar, Ramjilal, Mahender Singh and Krishan.

Ved Pal, a resident of Mator village in Haryana, was working as a private medical practitioner at Singhwal village. He was running a small private clinic in front of Sonia’s house at Singhwal village, when he met her. Against their parents and village wishes, both decided to get married and on March 9, 2009 eloped from the village.

They got married at Arya Samaj in Chandigarh but the khap panchayat refused to acknowledge the marriage.

Fearing threat to their lives, both Ved Pal and Sonia approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court for protection. The court granted them protection, following which both started living in Chandigarh.

After a few days, Sonia’s family contacted her and assured her they shall acknowledge her marriage, provided she agrees to return to the village. She agreed to it and returned home. On July 22, 2009, Ved Pal, accompanied by a few policemen, reached Singhwal village to bring Sonia back. However, he was lynched by a mob comprising Sonia’s parents and relatives. Sonia’s father Dhanraj, relatives and members of the khap panchayat were soon arrested on charges of murder.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/12-get-life-in-jail-for-2009-Haryana-honour-killing/853775/