IG summoned to join probe in graft case

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 20

The CBI has issued summons to Ferozepur range IGP Gurinder Singh Dhillon asking him to join the investigation into a Rs 5-lakh bribe case. Summons were sent under Section 160 of the CrPC for the second time after they returned undelivered the first time. However, the IG has failed to join the investigation even though the summons had once been sent via the state DGP.

Meanwhile, the police remand of Ashok Goyal, arrested by the CBI last week for allegedly accepting a bribe on behalf of the IGP, was extended by two days. The CBI said it needed to confront him with its witnesses and was thus demanding a four-day remand.

On the other hand, one of the two CBI witnesses recorded their statement in court on Monday amidst high drama. Family and friends of the Ayush Bhalla and Satyadev Jindal alleged that the CBI had kept them in its custody even though they had not been not arrested. While Bhalla’s statement under Section 164 of the CrPC was recorded on Monday, that of Jindal will be recorded on Tuesday.

The two of them were made witnesses by the CBI as the exchange of bribe money had taken place in front of them and it was mentioned that the money was to be forwarded to the IG. Initially, the CBI had made a request to record their statement in the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate but the same was declined.

The CBI court then directed the CJM to record the statement of both witnesses on Monday. However, the family of Jindal expressed resentment alleging that he was being kept in custody by the CBI and was being tortured. The family allegedly misbehaved with CBI sleuths. After an application was moved by the witnesses, it was decided that except a CBI counsel, no one else would accompany the witnesses to the court.