Ludhiana SHO suspended for fake drug case

Nikhil Bhardwaj

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, September 17

Taking a major action against former SHO of the Meharban police station Simranjit Kaur, Police Commissioner Naunihal Singh has placed her under suspension after over a month-long inquiry.

The case

On July 25, as per the FIR, the SHO had arrested Noorwala village farmer Gurdeep Singh from a naka at Noorwala Chowk and 100 gm of opium was seized from him. However, Gurdeep’s family had claimed that the SHO had searched their home for around one hour and when she couldn’t find any drugs, the SHO took Gurdeep along with her and he was shown arrested with opium from the naka. His mother had also levelled an allegation that the SHO had taken Rs1.5 lakh to not falsely implicate her elder son in the case.

She had registered a false drug case against a man but the CCTV footage gathered by the victim’s family exposed the claims of the SHO.

Former Commissioner of Police Rakesh Agrawal had formed a special investigation team in the case after family had lodged a complaint and also submitted a CCTV footage which had put SHO’s role under scanner.

On July 25, the SHO, along with a police team, had arrested Noorwala village farmer Gurdeep Singh and his arrest was shown from a naka at Noorwala Chowk. As per the FIR, the police had claimed that his (smuggler) Brezza car (PB91E2000) was stopped at a naka at Noorwala Chowk and 100 gm of opium was seized.

However, the Gurdeep’s family had claimed that the SHO had searched their home for around one hour and when she couldn’t find any drugs, the SHO took Gurdeep along with her and he was shown arrested with opium from the naka. Bachitar Kaur, Gurdeep’s mother, had also levelled allegation that the SHO had taken Rs 1.5 lakh to not implicate her elder son in the drug case.

When Gurdeep’s family had levelled allegations and lodged complaint along with CCTV footage, the CP had sent the SHO to the Police Lines.

A senior police official on the condition of anonymity said, “After the allegations against the SHO surfaced, ADCP Rupinder Kaur Sra, ADCP Pragya Jain and ADCP Crime Rupinder Kaur Bhatti probed the allegations and view of District Attorney (DA) Legal was sought. On the basis of his recommendations, officers submitted their probe to Police Commissioner Naunihal Singh who recommended immediate suspension of the cop. The SHO faced suspension as she changed the spot of the opium recovery and her lies were nailed in the CCTV footage.”