2 Chandigarh Police Department staffers held in Rs 1.1-crore salary scam

Chandigarh, September 11

The Crime Branch arrested two employees of the Chandigarh Police in an alleged Rs1.1-crore salary scam.

The suspects have been identified as Balwinder Kumar, a junior assistant and then in charge of the salary branch; and Surjit Singh, a Home Guards volunteer. Both were posted in the salary branch of the UT police. They allegedly siphoned off Rs1.1 crore using multiple fraudulent means, revealed a CAG audit on a request of the Police Department.

A case under Sections 420, 468, 471 and 120-B of the IPC and Section 13(1)(b) and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act was registered at the Sector 3 police station on February 25, 2020, in this regard.

The case pertains to disbursement of excess salary to some employees of the UT police. A SIT was constituted to probe the case being handled by the Crime Branch. A special team conducted the audit of accounts with regard to the salary of the Chandigarh Police personnel, which pointed out an excess payment of more than Rs1.1 crore. During the course of investigation, Balwinder, who dealt with the salary of constables and head constables of the UT police, was arrested. Another suspect, Surjit Singh, was also arrested for his connivance as he worked as a conduit between the dealing hand and the beneficiary, said the police.

The suspects were arrested on September 10 and produced before a court today, which sent Balwinder to three-day police remand and Surjit to one-day police custody. The police said more arrests were likely in the case.