There is no need to give an introduction to Shaheed Bhagat Singh? He was, is and will be always a matter of proud for the Indians and, his sacrifice will remain etched in the memory of our nation. People not only in India but across the globe admire Singh for his courage and national spirit, and the recent case filed in Pakistan by Imtiaz Rashid Qureshi, chairman of the Bhagat Singh Memorial Foundation, seeking attested copy of the First Information Report (FIR) registered against Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru for allegedly killing then Lahore SSP John P Saunders, many believe will ensure justice to the martyr, who was hanged even when his name was not mentioned in the FIR for the murder of the British police officer.
In March 1931, following his trial for involvement in the 'Lahore conspiracy case', the British government hanged Singh at Shadman Chowk, aged 23. A copy of the FIR registered against Singh in the Lahore SSP's murder case in 1928 has been sought by Qureshi, to prove the innocence of the legendary freedom fighter Singh along with his mates Rajguru and Sukhdev, who were hanged at Shadman Chowk in Lahore on March 23, 1931.
Qureshi said the Punjab police legal affairs office had records from 1895 to 1928 but the police did not give him the FIR registered in 1928 when the SSP was killed.
The case seeking the FIR has been now filed in the Lahore high court for reopening of Bhagat Singh’s case. And as reported, Lahore high court has referred the case to the chief justice for the constitution of a larger bench for hearing the case.
Lahore police have found that Bhagat Singhwas awarded death sentence even when his name was not mentioned in the FIR for the murder of a British police officer in 1928.
Qureshi said, “Bhagat Singh was awarded the death sentence for British officer Saunder’s murder. But even after eight decades, the case is pending.”
Earlier in the month of March, many residents of Lahore with Pakistani civil society held a candle-light for freedom fighter Bhagat Singh on his 83rd death anniversary and demanded that the Shadman Chowk be renamed after him.
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