Case against former DGP Saini shifted to another court

MOHALI: District and sessions judge Rajinder Singh Rai on Thursday transferred the abduction case against former Punjab DGP Sumedh Singh Saini to the court of additional district and sessions judge Rajnish Garg.

The case pertains to the disappearance of Balwant Singh Multani, a Chandigarh Industrial and Tourism Corporation (CITCO) employee, in 1991. The application for transfer of the case was filed by Multani’s brother Palwinder Singh, where he stated that he apprehended “unfair proceedings”. The application was moved after ADJ Monika Goyal’s court granted interim bail to Saini in anticipation of SIT adding Section 302 of the IPC to the earlier FIR.

The prosecution and defence now have been asked to appear in Garg’s court on July 6. The court will also decide on the anticipatory bail granted to Saini.

Defence counsels APS Deol and HS Dhanoa said, “At present, we are satisfied and will decide after examining the judgment.”

Special public prosecutor Sartej Narula said the prosecution has been pressing that while granting anticipatory bail to Saini, the court “diluted the considerations that were required to imminently be considered”.

A case against Saini was registered under sections 364 (kidnapping in order to murder) etc of the Indian Penal Code on May 6 on a complaint filed by Multani’s brother Palwinder.

A PLEA APPREHENDING ‘UNFAIR PROCEEDINGS’ WAS MOVED AFTER COURT GRANTED SAINI INTERIM BAIL IN ANTICIPATION OF SIT ADDING SECTION 302 OF IPC TO EARLIER FIR