False implication case: Ensure safety of persons ‘made to sign blank papers’, says Punjab and Haryana High Court

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 13

The Punjab and Haryana High Court today directed the UT to ensure the safety of persons who alleged that the blank papers they were made to sign were used by police officials to “settle their own grudges” and register an FIR under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act against Superintendent of Police (PBI) Karanvir Singh and his reader ASI Davinder Singh.

Taking up a petition filed against the state of Punjab and other respondents by Hasandeep Singh and another petitioner through counsel Sumit Jain and Aayush Arora, Justice Avneesh Jhingan asserted: “At this stage, considering the sensitivity of the matter, Deepender Singh Brar, APP, UT, Chandigarh, on the asking of the court, has appeared. He is directed to ensure the safety of the petitioners by keeping them at the Protection Home, Sector 19, Chandigarh, till the next date of hearing”.

Issuing a notice of motion to the respondents, Justice Jhingan also fixed May 17 as the next date of hearing in the matter. Going into the background of the matter, the petitioners claimed that an inquiry was marked to SP (PBI) Karanvir Singh in a case where a woman sustained burn injuries. After the inquiry, the officer recommended the cancellation of the FIR registered in Sangrur district on February 27 after holding that the accused were innocent.

Jain added that on the petitioners’ behalf that the woman died during treatment at a hospital, the FIR was converted for murder and other offences under Sections 302, 148 and 149 of the IPC. The present petitioners were nowhere involved in the FIR and were never called by the police to get their statements recorded.

“In March, there was a change in the government in the state and thereafter a new SSP was posted at Sangrur. He has an official rivalry with the SP (PBI). Therefore, to settle the same with SP (PBI) Karanvir Singh, he has used the present petitioners as a tool, being relatives of the accused in the FIR and residents of the same village. The police officials deliberately asked the present petitioners to come at the CIA staff office, where the present petitioners were mentally and physically tortured by the SP (D), the DSP, Moonak, and the DSP, Headquarters, and were forced to sign on blank pages,” Jain added.

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