Absconding Nadaun SHO granted anticipatory bail

Vijay Arora

Shimla, December 24

The HP High Court today granted anticipatory interim bail to the police officer, who allegedly attempted to run over a team of the state vigilance and anti-corruption bureau after they allegedly caught him red-handed while accepting bribe in Nadaun of Hamirpur district.

While passing this interim order, Justice C B Barowalia further directed the prosecution to file its status report by December 31.

While granting anticipatory bail till December 31, the court imposed condition on the petitioner that he will join the investigation and he will not leave India without the permission of the court.

As per the allegation levelled against him, Niraj Rana, the station house officer (SHO) of Nadaun police station, had sped in his car after the incident even as the vigilance team had a narrow escape. It was further alleged that Rana had demanded Rs 25,000 bribe from a person in lieu of allowing him to take some cattle to Pathankot, Punjab.

The aggrieved person then approached the vigilance bureau and also alleged that the SHO in question had threatened to implicate him in a false case if his demand for money is not met.

It was further alleged that after receiving the complaint, a team from bureau’s Hamirpur police station laid a trap. The complainant was directed to ask Rana to come to an agreed place to receive the money. It was further alleged that Rana arrived in his private car and accepted the bribe. However, when he came to know about the presence of vigilance sleuths, Rana sped in his car in a clear attempt to run over them.

The police has registered three separate FIRs against Rana on December 22 at Police Station Naduan, Hamirpur. One is for attempt to murder and the other has been registered under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act for allegedly taking bribe. Apart from these two, it was also alleged that “chitta” has also been found in the car and an FIR under the provisions of the NDPS Act was also registered against Niraj Rana.