Two cops booked for taking bribe, letting off smugglers

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, November 28

Former Bathinda CIA-1 Incharge Inspector Rajinder Kumar and ASI Jarnail Singh are on the run for the last one and a half months in a case registered by the Special Task Force (STF) for allegedly releasing two drug smugglers after taking bribe from them. The police have now issued a lookout circular against the cops.

The circular will effectively prevent Rajinder Kumar and Jarnail Singh from fleeing the country since both of them are absconding from the probe.

Demanded Rs3L for not registering case

• On October 7, a special staff Bathinda police party, headed by ASI Jarnail Singh, raided at a hotel room and arrested Zora Singh and Pardeep Kumar of Bir Talab Basti with 100-gm heroin.
• Later, they were taken to the special staff office and were presented before incharge Inspector Rajinder Kumar, where the latter demanded Rs3 lakh from them for not registering a case against them.

The STF had recently written a letter to the tehsildar of Bathinda, Rampura and Talwandi Sabo to get full details about the property of both accused in the area. STF AIG Harpreet Singh said, “Rajinder Kumar and Jarnail Singh have been absconding from the probe and duty. Our teams are conducting raids and trying to arrest them.”

On October 14, 2021, an FIR was registered against Inspector Rajinder Kumar and ASI Jarnail Singh under Sections 29 and 59 of the NDPS Act, Sections 7 and 13 (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act and Sections 213, 214, 382 and 120B of the IPC at the STF police station in Mohali.

In the FIR, it was stated the STF got a tip-off that on October 7, a special staff Bathinda police party, headed by ASI Jarnail Singh, raided at a hotel room and arrested Zora Singh and Pardeep Kumar of Bir Talab Basti with 100-gm heroin. Later, they were taken to the special staff office at the Thermal police station and were presented before special staff incharge Inspector Rajinder Kumar, where Rajinder Kumar demanded Rs 3 lakh from them for not registering a case against them.