Drug case against SSP: HC forms threemember SIT

OPTION OF CBI REMAINS’ The SIT has been asked to submit its 1st report on January 31

Making it clear that the option of using the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) remains open, the Punjab and Haryana high court on Friday entrusted a three-member special investigation team (SIT) headed by DGP, human resources development, S Chattopadhyaya, to probe a case involving Moga SSP Raj Jit Singh Hundal. A Punjab government special task force on drugs headed by HS Sidhu had been investigating the case.

The high court has acted on the plea of SSP Hundal who had moved court alleging “implication” at the hands of Sidhu. Sidhu was handpicked by chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh as the STF head soon after coming to power.

The two other members of the SIT are director, Bureau of

THE HC HAS ACTED ON THE PLEA OF SSP HUNDAL WHO HAD MOVED COURT ALLEGING IMPLICATION AT THE HANDS OF ANTIDRUGS DRUGS LED BY SIDHU

Investigation, Prabodh Kumar and IGP, ATS, Kunwar Vijay Partap Singh. The SIT has been asked to submit its first report in a sealed cover on January 31.

“The option of a CBI probe remains open,” the bench presided over by justice Surya Kant and justice Sudhir Mittal observed on submissions of senior advocate Anupam Gupta, who had demanded a CBI probe stating that there appeared some effort at high-levels to protect the SSP.

“If there is an effort to conceal anything from the court, we will send it to the CBI,” the bench said, as Gupta argued that this was a case where allegations had been made against a senior officer of the rank of SSP. “The claims of the officer (SSP) cracking cases related to right wing leaders are simply not true….. The SSP concerned is a man whose reputation lies in tatters in the force,” Gupta submitted, inviting a sharp reaction from the SSP’s counsel and advocate general Atul Nanda.

Meanwhile, the government maintained that STF head Sidhu was an officer with a “sterling” track record, but agreed to a probe by SIT in view of allegations by and against a senior officer of the state force. Nanda did not elaborate during the hearing, but questioned the move of SSP in approaching the court. The SSP’s representation on shifting probe from Sidhu — on which the DGP had recommended an independent probe — is pending consideration before the government.

The court had sought a report on the SSP’s role on November 28 from the STF as Gupta had brought before court reports on “closeness” of the SSP and the main accused in the drug case, inspector Inderjit Singh. Gupta is a counsel in Jagdish Bhola drug racket case.

In his petition, the SSP had submitted that on the June 12, 2017, FIR in which the inspector, Inderjit Singh, and a retired DSP Jaswant Singh were arrayed as accused in drug seizure and an Arms Act case be probed by an officer other than Sidhu.“Reports clearly indicate that it is public knowledge that the STF chief has some axe to grind against the SSP,” his counsel had told court on Thursday, adding that merely because the SSP was a supervisory officer of the accused people, does not prove his “complicity”.