Met accused inside jail, admits SIT
CHANDIGARH:The special investigation team (SIT) constituted by Punjab and Haryana high court to review the Jagdish Bhola drug racket case FIRs has admitted before the court of meeting some of the accused in jails.
The SIT comprising three officers of inspector general rank, Ishwar Singh, G Nageshwar Rao and V Neerja, was constituted by the court in October 2015.
The admission was made in a sealed cover report, partly discussed during the hearing on Monday before the high court bench of justices Surya Kant and Sudip Ahluwalia. During the hearing, the court was told that a total of 10 FIRs have been reviewed by the SIT and in three FIRs, some of the accused have been exonerated of charges. One of the cases, Bhola, businessman Jagjit Singh Chahal, former Akali leader Maninder Singh Aulakh ‘ Bittu’, and two Punjab policemen were acquitted by a Jalandhar court in a drug recovery case in August 2016.
Senior advocate Anupam Gupta commenting on the report questioned as to why the officers went to jail to meet the accused. Gupta also questioned the manner in which the SIT had recorded details and also as to why the claims of accused, whom the SIT met, were not reasoned. “If it was a SHO (who had done this), will court forgive him,” Gupta questioned. Gupta also questioned whether the report of SIT became the basis of exoneration of the accused.
The Punjab government, however, said that these persons might have been exonerated in a few cases but in other cases there are substantial evidence against them. However, the division bench said that it appreciated the concern of Gupta and others, but did not pass any adverse order against the SIT.
Posting the matter for May 2, the high court asked Punjab to appoint an additional chief secretary level official as nodal officer for better coordination between various departments in fight against drugs. The high court also sought reports from ministry of external affairs and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on status of extradition of suspects sitting abroad.