GIVE 7DAY NOTICE BEFORE ARRESTING HIM: HC TO GOVT
CHANDIGARH: Punjab and Haryana high court on Thursday directed Capt Amarinder government to issue seven-day notice to former director general of police (DGP) Sumedh Singh Saini, if the state contemplates to arrest him in a criminal case.
Saini had demanded that direction be given to state to get a probe done by Central Bureau of Investigation in the event of an FIR registered against him since he apprehends his false implication due to “malafide and ulterior motives” on the part of the political party in power in Punjab.
Punjab and Haryana high court on Thursday directed Capt Amarinder government to issue seven-day notice to former director general of police (DGP) Sumedh Singh Saini, if the state contemplates to arrest him in a criminal case.
Saini had demanded that direction be given to state to get a probe done by Central Bureau of Investigation in the event of an FIR registered against him since he apprehends his false implication due to “malafide and ulterior motives” on the part of the political party in power in Punjab. He had also demanded that he should not be arrested in any criminal case. Saini had retired in June.
The court was told that during his stint as head of state vigilance, a number of criminal cases were registered against present chief minister Amarinder Singh, his family members and political leaders of party in power for corruption. He cited example of FIRs in Ludhiana City Centre scam, Amritsar Improvement Trust scam and one against Bharat Inder Singh Chahal, media adviser of chief minister, and Amarinder’s son Raninder Singh.
“Immense pressure was mounted upon the petitioner to scuttle the investigation, …the petitioner without any fear or favour, while performing his duties diligently, did not succumb to the pressure,” Saini told the court. Saini said since he is seen as the man behind starting criminal proceedings against the present chief minister and his “coterie”, state’s agencies have become “persecuting agencies” instead of “prosecuting agencies”. He cited the criminal case against former SSP Shiv Kumar, who had investigated a disproportionate assets (DA) case against Amarinder Singh.
“The petitioner was involved in unearthing various scams and scandals. In 2002, he unearthed a scam involving Ravi Sidhu, the then chairman of the Punjab Public Service Commission and he was pressured to refrain from investigations,” his counsel, senior advocate Vinod Ghai told court.
He also referred to 2016 arrest of Aman Skoda and a constable in DGPs’ office in a graft case, in which he (Saini) might be summoned, stating that he did know Skoda.
The court was also told that following Ranjit Singh panel report on 2015 violence after incidents of sacrilege, the ruling party is bent upon involving him in criminal cases, he said while referring to statements of ministers and others in the assembly.
The high court bench of justice Gurvinder Singh Gill observed that there is no doubt that as per law blanket bail can’t be given. “Since it is a case which has a political colour also to it and instances of FIRs being lodged due to political vendetta are not unknown,” the court said, asking Punjab to give one week’s advance notice to Saini if state plans to arrest him before November 28, the next date of hearing and sought a reply on allegations levelled by Saini.
Earlier, state’s advocate general, Atul Nanda had told the court that a blanket order granting protection from arrest ensuing from the future FIRs can’t be given. “Such an order merely on the basis of an apprehension will be a violation of the power of the court,” he told the court.
FORMER DGP APPREHENDS HIS FALSE IMPLICATION DUE TO “MALAFIDE AND ULTERIOR MOTIVES” ON THE PART OF THE POLITICAL PARTY IN POWER IN PUNJAB