4 ex-cops booked with Saini get anticipatory bail

MOHALI: A local court on Tuesday granted anticipatory bail to four retired cops , booked along with former Punjab director general of police (DGP) Sumedh Singh Saini in a case related to the disappearance of Balwant Singh Multani, a CITCO employee, in 1991.

The court of additional district and sessions judge Monika Goyal also directed the accused -- subinspectors Har Sahai Sharma, Jagir Singh and Anoop Singh, and assistant sub-inspector Kuldip Singh -- to join investigation within seven days and furnish personal bail bonds of Rs 50,000 with one surety each.

They have been asked to surrender their passports and not to leave the country without prior permission of the court.

Saini has already joined investigations after getting anticipatory bail from the court last week.

“The case is more than 29 years old and the complainant kept mum for such a long time. The custodial interrogation of the applicants is not required,” the court ruled.

The court in its order said, “Prima facie all the accused had acted as per law and conducted the proceedings in the FIR, but whether they were part of the bigger conspiracy, in which Balwant Singh Multani was picked up illegally and was afterwards eliminated is matter of evidence.” The court also pointed out that since December 7, 2011 (when the Supreme Court dismissed the case against Saini), no action has been taken by any family member of the victim.

“The allegations against the applicants (accused retired policemen) pertain to their act and conduct at police station Sector 17, Chandigarh, or at police station Qadian, thus there are serious doubts regarding the jurisdiction of police station Mataur,” the court said.