CBI inspector held guilty of extorting sedan from Chandigarh pharma firm
Took a brand new Honda City from the Sector 9-based company in 2016 and refused to return it by threatening false case
A special CBI court in Chandigarh has found an inspector of the investigating agency guilty of extorting a Honda City from a city-based pharmaceutical company after threatening its officials of false implication in a case in 2016.
The accused, Ravinder Kumar Singla, was convicted under Sections 7 and 13 (1) (d) (ii) punishable under Section 13 (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act and Section 384 (extortion) of the Indian Penal Code.
The quantum of sentence will be announced on Saturday. Another accused, Paramjit, was acquitted due to lack of evidence.
As per the prosecution, Ravinder was booked on May 24, 2016, on the complaint of officials of Nectar Life Sciences Ltd, a pharmaceutical firm in Sector 9.
Ravinder had approached the company’s office, claiming that he was posted in the area and his vehicle had broken down. He informed them that he needed to go to New Delhi for extremely urgent work, and demanded a vehicle from them.
When the company officials expressed hesitation, he told them that “it was very important for the company to maintain cordial relations with CBI”.
Under threat, the officials provided him a recently financed, brand new Honda City car, which he assured that he will return once he returned from New Delhi.
But he failed to return the vehicle even after a week. When the company officials contacted him, he told them that his assignment in New Delhi had been extended and he will not be able to return the car immediately.
He then threatened the company officials of false implication in a case, intimidating them that it will take years for them to prove their innocence, and their company’s name and reputation will be greatly harmed.
Thereafter, he insisted that the company transfer the car in his or his relative’s name, which the officials declined.
They further filed a complaint with CBI. Investigations revealed that Ravinder had joined the agency on September 29, 2008, and was promoted to the rank of inspector in 2013. Moreover, no inquiry or case pertaining to the company in question was given to him.
As CBI investigated the case, the car was found in possession of the accused and recovered.
As per prosecution, Ravinder used the Honda City car from July 2015 to May 2016, and regular servicing expenditure was done at the behest of the company.
The accused regularly threatened the company officials of implicating them in a case if they demanded the car from him.
During trial, public prosecutor Narender Singh told the court that the accused was found in possession of the vehicle. Further, call recordings with the complainant company’s officials regarding the vehicle were also substantial evidence of corruption and extortion charges against him.
