HC ORDERS SAINI’S RELEASE FROM VIGILANCE CUSTODY
CHANDIGARH: In a major relief to former Punjab Police chief Sumedh Singh Saini, the high court on Thursday ordered his release from the vigilance custody.
The former DGP was arrested by the vigilance bureau in a land fraud case on Wednesday. Saini had gone to the bureau office to join investigation in a corruption case as directed by the HC when he was arrested. The ex-DGP’s release was ordered around midnight by the bench of justice Arun Kumar Tyagi, after two rounds of hearing, in an application moved in a 2018 petition, said lawyers associated with the case.
“The court termed his arrest as abuse of process of law and observed that he was arrested in violation of three HC orders. The court has ordered that in the event of his arrest in this case and corruption case, a seven-day prior notice must be given,” said Saini’s lawyer, HS Deol.
The case was taken up by justice Tyagi at 11:30 am and after around 30 minutes of hearing he summoned records pertaining to the arrest and FIR details by 3 pm. The hearing continued in the evening for nearly 3 hours.
The state had roped in a battery of lawyers, including Supreme Court senior advocate, Sidharth Luthra who was assisted by five others. Senior advocate APS Deol appeared for Saini.
In the fresh plea filed on August 18, Saini had expressed apprehension of false implication in criminal matters on account of “malice, mala fide and ulterior motives”, attributed to the political party in power in
definitely move the Supreme Court,” said Sanjay Basu, advocate who appeared for the DGP of West Bengal along with senior advocates including Abhishek Manu Singhvi. He added the observations in the order are not correct.
Soon after the results of the elections were declared on May 2, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) made allegations of widespread post-poll violence from across the state. With petitions filed in the immediate aftermath, the high court took cognisance and in June, the court asked the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to form a seven member committee “considering the fact that there was blatant violation of human rights besides violation of other rights of the victims”. The committee submitted its final report on July 13 recommending a CBI probe, and that trials should be held outside the state.
The committee said at least 1,934 complaints were lodged with the state police between May 2 and June 20. They included 29 complaints related to murder, 12 to rape and sexual assault, and 940 of loot and arson.