Assets case: HC asks ex-Punjab DGP Sumedh Saini to join investigation

Tribune News Service

Saurabh Malik

Chandigarh, April 28

The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Thursday directed Punjab’s former Director General of Police Sumedh Singh Saini to join the investigation in a cheating, forgery and corruption case registered against him, while staying his arrest in the matter.

Justice Avneesh Jhingan of the High Court also fixed a week’s deadline for Saini to join the probe. As Saini’s anticipatory bail petition filed through counsel SPS Sidhu came up for preliminary hearing, Justice Jhingan put respondent-State of Punjab on notice. Accepting it on the State’s behalf, Additional Advocate General H S Grewal sought time to file reply to the contentions raised by Saini in his plea.

The matter was placed before Justice Jhingan after a Mohali Court earlier this week dismissed Saini’s bail application in the case pertaining to the purchase of Sector 20 property. An FIR in the matter was registered in September 2020 at a Mohali police station under Sections 409, 420, 467, 468, 471 and 120-B of the IPC and the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Dismissing the plea, the Mohali court had, among other things, observed: “This court is of the considered view that there are serious allegations against the applicant/accused to the effect that he in connivance with his co-accused Surinderjit Singh Jaspal, has forged and fabricated the agreement to sell dated October 2, 2019, in order to save house No. 3048, Sector 20-D, Chandigarh, from attachment. Further, it seems that the execution of the said agreement is shrouded by suspicious circumstances, as it has been shown to be prepared on a plain paper without any attesting witness….”

Sidhu contended all that the petitioner had done was to take a house on rent from one of the accused and later having entered into an agreement to purchase the same. All transactions were through banks and duly accounted for.

“Due to political vendetta and malafide the petitioner was first implicated in an FIR and when he got interim protection from the High Court, the same transaction was transposed to the present FIR. The vendetta went to such a level that the State stooped to make an illegal detention and that too, when he went to vigilance police station to join the investigation as per directions of High Court,” Sidhu added.

About The Author

Tribune News Service

The Tribune News Service brings you the latest news, analysis and insights from the region, India and around the world. Follow the Tribune News Service for a wide-ranging coverage of events as they unfold, with perspective and clarity.