The Dehlon police have registered an FIR against inspector Sukhjinder Singh, the then station house officer of Dehlon police station, and police station munshi head constable Sanjiv Kumar for allegedly tampering with evidence, fabricating witness statements and manipulating official records during investigation of the murder case of NRI woman Rupinder Kaur.69-year-old Rupinder Kaur was killed last year. (HT File)The action was initiated following directions from senior police officers after a special investigation team (SIT) reportedly found serious discrepancies in the case file during the ongoing probe.Dead witness claim triggers scrutiny According to police officials, the matter came to light after accused Manvir Singh, alias Mani Pehalwan, while seeking anticipatory bail before the Punjab and Haryana high court, alleged that a witness statement relied upon during investigation had been fabricated.Police said the statement was purportedly recorded from Gurpreet Singh on September 19, 2025. However, records later revealed that the witness had died on May 29, 2025, several months before the statement was allegedly taken.During examination of the case file, the SIT reportedly found that the disputed statement did not bear the genuine handwriting or signatures of inspector Sukhjinder Singh. Investigators also found another allegedly fabricated statement carrying forged signatures, officials said.In his written clarification submitted during the inquiry, the former SHO reportedly claimed that the signatures on the documents had been forged. He further stated that after his transfer from Dehlon police station on October 4, 2025, the case file remained in the custody of head constable Sanjiv Kumar.Senior police officers subsequently concluded that prima facie evidence of tampering with official documents and fabrication of evidence had emerged during investigation of the high-profile murder case.Acting on the findings, the Dehlon police registered a fresh FIR against the two police officials under Sections 228 (fabricating false evidence), 229 (the intentional giving or fabricating of false evidence), 336 (1) (false document or electronic record) and 340 (2) (fraudulently or dishonestly using a forged document or electronic record) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.Background of the caseThe case pertains to the disappearance and alleged murder of Rupinder Kaur, 69, a resident of Simlapuri in Ludhiana, who had been residing in the United States. The case was initially registered on August 18, 2025, after Sukhjit Singh of Kila Raipur informed police that the woman had allegedly gone missing while travelling to Delhi airport to attend a wedding in Canada. During investigation, police said Rupinder Kaur was murdered inside a storeroom at Sukhjit Singh’s residence. Investigators claimed her body was burnt inside the room and the remains were later disposed of elsewhere in an attempt to destroy evidence. Police further alleged that the floor of the room was broken and repainted and CCTV cameras installed at the house were replaced after the incident.The police had subsequently arrested Sukhjit Singh, who allegedly confessed during interrogation that he committed the murder at the behest of UK-based NRI Charanjit Singh in exchange for ₹50 lakh. Police later nominated Charanjit Singh, his brother Manvir Singh, alias Mani Pehalwan, and another accused identified as Danish, alias Dinesh Kumar, in the case.During the probe, investigators had recovered burnt bones believed to belong to the deceased, remnants of an iPhone, a hammer allegedly used to break the floor after the body was burnt, and a motorcycle allegedly used in the crime. Police had also collected chats, voice notes and screenshots allegedly sent by Rupinder Kaur before her disappearance, in which she reportedly expressed fear for her life and accused the suspects of taking large sums of money from her.