PRE-ARREST BAIL TO SAINI IN ABDUCTION CASE

MOHALI:Former director general of Punjab Police Sumedh Singh Saini was granted anticipatory bail on Monday by the court of additional district and sessions judge, Mohali, Monika Goyal, in a case related to the disappearance of Balwant Singh Multani, a Chandigarh Industrial and Tourism Corporation (CITCO) employee, in 1991.

“The application is allowed,” was all the court said in the brief proceeding of the case held on Monday. Security of the court room was enhanced minutes before the pronouncement of the order. Saini had moved the Mohali court on May 8, seeking anticipatory bail in the 29-yearold abduction case, claiming he had been falsely implicated because of “vendetta”.

“Saini is directed to join the probe within 7 days from today and he be released on anticipatory bail on furnishing of personal bonds of ₹50,000 with one surety of the like amount,” said the court while directing Saini to surrender his passport.

“There is no doubt that allegation made pertains to heinous crime...It is clear that there are serious doubt regarding the maintainability of the present FIR at this juncture and chances are that it is an outcome of political vendetta as present applicant was instrumental in lodging FIRs against high ups,” observed the court.

We had clarified to the court that the FIR was registered to harass Saini who has offered to co-operate with the investigations,” said HS Dhannoa, one of the counsels of Saini.

MOHALI: Though former Punjab DGP Sumedh Singh Saini has been granted anticipatory bail in connection with the disappearance of one Balwant Singh Multani of Mohali in 1991, an advocate got her statement recorded before a magistrate, claiming she was witness to the victim’s (Multani’s) torture in police custody. Saini and six others were booked recently in connection with the disappearance of Multani, a junior engineer posted with Chandigarh Industrial and Tourism Corporation (CITCO), after a terrorist attack in 1991.

“Multani could hardly walk when I last saw him then how could he escape from custody,” said advocate Gursharan Kaur Mann. She got her statement recorded under Section 164 of the CrPC before judicial magistrate Amit Bakshi on Monday.

“We could hear Multani scream through the night. Next day (December 13) when I went to the bathroom, I saw him (Multani) lying in the verandah bleeding. Saini came and asked the policemen to throw Multani in the vehicle and that was last we saw him (Multani),” said Mann whose husband was Multani’s classmate in engineering.

Claiming to be the eyewitness to Multani’s torture, Mann said she, along with her husband and 2-year-old son, was picked up by the police on intervening night of December 10-11, 1991. Mann said she later came to know that they were arrested in connection with a 1991 blast (assassination attempt on Saini). “We were taken to Sector 17 police station Chandigarh. Next day, I saw Multani in pain owing to the torture by police. He could hardly walk, Saini kicked him multiple times, threatening to kill him,” said Mann. “One witness got statement recorded before the court. We are hopeful more people will follow,” said Pradeep Virk, counsel for complainant.