Disappearance case: EX-DGP Saini files pre-arrest bail plea

MOHALI:FORMER Punjab director general of Police (DGP) Sumedh Singh Saini on Monday filed an application in a Mohali court seeking anticipatory bail to avoid arrest in the case involving the disappearance of Balwant Singh Saini, a Chandigarh Industrial and Tourism Corporation (CITCO) employee.

The alleged disappearance dates back to 1991 when Saini was the Chandigarh senior superintendent of police (SSP).

The move came three days after the special investigation team (SIT) probing the case added Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) to the first information report.

The application was filed in the court of district and sessions judge Rajinder Singh Rai who further marked it additional district and sessions judge Rajneesh Garg. The hearing is on Tuesday.

The police sought cancellation of the bail application saying they have two approvers who were eyewitnesses to the inhumane torture meted out to Multani on Saini’s orders when he was in police custody.

Saini’s counsels APS Deol and HS Dhanoa said there was sufficient ground for anticipatory bail as they have already been given relief by the Supreme Court after quashing an earlier FIR. Also, their client was granted bail under Section 364 of the IPC and the FIR was registered at the Mataur police station whereas the alleged crime took place in Chandigarh, they contested. The counsels argued the cops were made approvers using pressure tactics by first registering a case against them.