Mithu did not remarry, nor give up fight despite threats, false cases
Expresses satisfaction at the decision of Canada’s Supreme Court
Mithu Kaunke hopeful of getting justice 17 years after murder of his NRI wife
By Baljit Balli
Chandigarh, September 10, 2017: “I am now hopeful my late wife will sure get justice. My 17-year long fight is going to reach logical conclusion. I have faced lot of hardships, received threats to life, implicated in false cases but the media stood by me,” said Sukhwinder Singh Sidhu better known by his nickname Mithu whose wife Jaswinder “Jassi” Sidhu was murdered by his family members 17 years ago.
On September 8, 2017, the Supreme Court of Canada cleared extradition of Jassi’s mother and maternal uncle to face trial in India. Reacting to the top court’s decision, Mithu said that he was eagerly looking forward to see the murderers of his wife being punished for what they did.
Jassi’s mother Malkiat Kaur and maternal uncle Surjit Singh Badesha faced allegation of masterminding the supari killing of Jassi. Both managed to evade law for being citizens of Canada but were finally arrested by the Canadian police in 2012. Their extradition to India was held up due to the court’s stay. But the with the latest decision of the Canadian Supreme Court has paved way for their trial in India.
Speaking with babushahi.com over phone from his native village Kaunke near Jagraon, Mithu gave all credit to the media for being instrumental in facilitating the extradition of his wife’s murderers to India. He also thanked Punjab Police officer Swaran Singh who investigated the case and withstood enormous pressure while pursuing the case.
Swaran Singh was posted as Inspector in Punjab Police in 2000 when Jassi was got murdered by hired killers by his family and later promoted as DSP. He pursued the case on merit and even faced threats from the killers’ side.
Mithu and Jassi stayed together briefly after their marriage but fighting a long drawn legal battle with the sole purpose of bringing his wife’s murderers to book, he never thought of getting remarried even after 17 years.
Mithu was driver of a three-wheeler. Canada-based Jassi fell into love with him when she came to India in 1994. She remained in Mithu’s contact even after returning to Canada. He family brought her to India again in 1999 with a plan to get her married.
But Mithu and Jassi, somehow, got secretly married on March 15, 1999 which enraged her family. They took her back to Canada on the pretext that they approved their marriage and that Mithu would also be brought to Canada to be with her.
Once back in Canada, the family confined her to house and pressurized her for forcible divorce. She returned to India on May 12, 2000 with the help of Canadian police and both started living as a happy married couple. Her family got abducted while India and murdered on June 8, 2000 by the hired killers.