Vigilance bureau summons 5 accused cops next week

SANGRUR: A vigilance team has sent written summons to the five cops, who are facing extortion allegations and failed to appear before the team on April 11 in Sangrur.

Last time, the team, headed by inspector general (economic offences wing) of the vigilance bureau, Shive Kumar Verma, had verbally asked them to appear before it for probe, but this time they have been issued written summons.

“Summons have been sent to all the five accused cops and they have been called for inquiry next week,” said Verma.

Two days after the inquiry orders in the case, Verma had arrived in Sangrur and met victim farmers, but the cops were not present during the probe.

The accused cops included former Sangrur senior superintendent of police (SSP) Inderbir Singh, Sunam deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Jashandeep Gill, Longowal station house officer (SHO) Sikandar Singh, Ajit Nagar police post in-charge Baljinder Singh Chatha and Badrukhan post in-charge Gurmail Singh.

As per information, the vigilance team will meet the cops one by one for investigation.

CASE FILE

A 25-year-old financier, Hardev Singh, was shot dead by five gangsters, led by Davinder Singh alias Babli Randhawa in Longowal, in February. Two farmers, Dhanwant Singh of Kotra Amrhu village, and Harjinder Singh of Dugga village, alleged that they were taken into custody illegally, just because they knew Randhawa before he became a gangster. The police then extorted money from their families.

However, Sangrur SSP Mandeep Singh Sidhu had recommended the registration of a FIR and a vigilance probe against the five cops, but CM Amarinder Singh ordered a vigilance probe.

Interestingly, after this case Ajit Nagar police post in-charge Baljinder Singh Chatha was also booked in another extortion case.

Chatha and his aide ASI were booked for extorting money from family members of Rajasthan police cop Kanhaiya Lal, 52, who was allegedly arrested with 5kg opium from Sangrur.

LAST TIME, THEY HAD BEEN VERBALLY ASKED TO APPEAR BEFORE THE TEAM, BUT THIS TIME THEY HAVE BEEN ISSUED WRITTEN SUMMONS