4 cops indicted in drug cases dismissed

PATIALA : The Patiala police on Monday dismissed four cops, including an assistant sub-inspector (ASI), who were indicted in departmental inquiries after corruption and drug recovery cases registered against them.

The dismissed cops are ASI Balwinder Singh, head constables Ranjit Singh and Somnath Singh and constable Jagwinder Singh. While Balwinder is posted at the Shambu police station, the rest are deputed at the Patiala police lines.

Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Mandeep Singh Sidhu, who issued the dismissal orders, said the vigilance bureau had caught ASI Balwinder redhanded accepting ₹8,000 bribe in 2007, following which a case was registered against him under the Prevention of Corruption Act. He was sentenced three-year imprisonment in the case.

He was indicted in a departmental inquiry initiated against him in September 2015. Head constable Ranjit was caught with 20 kg poppy husk in May 2014 and a case was registered against him following which he remained absent from duty.

Police recovered 2.1 kg opium from Somnath in 2015 and a case was registered against him. Constable Jagwinder was arrested with 15 gram smack by the Haryana police. A case was registered against him in Kurukshetra district.

“All of them were indicted in departmental inquiries and the investigation officers had recommended their dismissal,” SSP Sidhu said. “Despite these cops were indicted, they continued in service. Officials kept sitting on their files for long,” a senior official said. Sidhu said he can’t comment on why no action was taken against them earlier.