A year on, VB probe into extortion case against ex-Sangrur SSP incomplete
UPSET OVER PROBE DELAY Now complainants want to strike compromise with accused to get back the money they paid as bribe
PATIALA : It has been over a year since a probe was marked into the extortion case involving former Sangrur senior superintendent of police (SSP) Inderbir Singh, the vigilance bureau has failed to complete its investigation into the same, turning the spotlight on the working of the anti-graft agency.
This despite the fact that chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh had ordered to conclude the probe in a month.
An inquiry by SSP Mandeep Singh Sidhu had found Inderbir (now AIG policy and rules) and four other officials prima facie guilty of extorting ₹19 lakh from two farmers by threatening to implicate them in a case of giving shelter to gangster Devinder Singh Babli Randhawa, who murdered a financer in Longowal in February last year.
The other officials are the then DSP Jashandeep Gill, the then Longowal station house officer (SHO) Sikandar Singh, Ajit Nagar police post in-charge Baljinder Singh Chatha and Badrukhan police post in-charge Gurmail Singh.
Upset over the delay in probe, the two farmers, who had filed complaint in this regard, now want to strike a ‘compromise’ with the accused to get back the money they paid as bribes.
“I have no hope of justice. Earlier, I refused a patch-up with the accused but now I want it. I want to get my money back which I have paid as bribe to policemen. I had borrowed the money from my relatives and moneylenders and they are asking for it. I am paying interest on it,” said Dhanwant Singh (28), one of the complainants.
“VB recorded our statements on May 2, 2017. We gave them evidence. We narrated how the station house officer (SHO) and other policemen extorted money from us, and how Inderbir took his share. It’s been more than a year but nothing has happened. Even the probe report has not been finalised,” said Dhanwant and Harjinder Babbu (27), the second complainant.
The probe was marked on April 12, 2017. Initially, VB acted promptly but slowed down eventually. SSP Sidhu had recommended an FIR in the case.
VB had even taken into possession a video clip, which hints at the involvement of Inderbir in the extortion racket.
Sources said even as the police had no evidence of the two farmers providing shelter to the gangster, the then SSP Inderbir named them at a press conference. Later, ₹25 lakh was extorted from them. The SSP named them without verifying the facts and later absolved them without making any official document, they said.
Unhappy over the delay, Dhanwant and Harjinder had even filed a court case which is listed for hearing on July 4.
“I am surprised over the delay in the probe. If Inderbir is clean, then there should be action against SSP Mandeep for misreporting facts”, said a senior police official.
VB director Shive Kumar Verma, who probed the case, said he had submitted a factfinding report to senior officials four months ago. VB chief director BK Uppal could not be reached for comments.
BESIDES FORMER SSP, FOUR OTHER OFFICIALS ARE FACING PROBE FOR EXTORTING 2 FARMERS BY THREATENING TO IMPLICATE THEM IN A CASE OF GIVING SHELTER TO GANGSTER