Faridkot dera deputy head murder: On the run for 8 months, SP surrenders before Vigilance in ₹20-lakh graft case
The bribe was allegedly sought to “re-nominate a prime accused” in the murder case of Harka Das Dera deputy head Dayal Das, who was shot dead at Kot Sukhia village in Faridkot
Absconding superintendent of police (SP) Gagnesh Kumar and his aide Jaswinder Singh on Tuesday surrendered before the Punjab vigilance bureau at Ferozepur in a ₹20-lakh bribery case. Both the accused were evading arrest for the past eight months.
The bribe was allegedly sought to “re-nominate a prime accused” in the murder case of Harka Das Dera deputy head Dayal Das, who was shot dead at Kot Sukhia village in Faridkot on November 7, 2019.
Ferozepur range senior superintendent of police (SSP, VB) Gurmeet Singh said both accused Gagnesh Kumar and Jaswinder Singh surrendered at the Vigilance office in Ferozepur. “They will be produced in the court on Wednesday and Vigilance will seek their custody for interrogation,” he added.
On February 28, Punjab and Haryana high court had dismissed the SP’s anticipatory bail application observing that his custodial interrogation was required to “unearth the entire modus operandi”.
In June last year, then Faridkot SP (investigation) Gagnesh Kumar, then Faridkot deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Sushil Kumar, sub-inspector (SI) Khem Chand Prashar, who was posted as the RTI branch in-charge of Faridkot IG office, Jaswinder Singh of Faridkot city and Malkiat Das of Bir Sikhan Wala village in Faridkot were booked for allegedly taking a bribe of ₹20 lakh to “re-nominate the accused” in the murder case.
Vigilance waiting for govt nod to name IG
Vigilance had also submitted a proposal to the state government seeking a go-ahead to name IG PK Yadav as an accused in the bribery case. Yadav is presently posted as IG (technical services), Chandigarh, with an additional charge of resident commissioner (police coordination), Punjab Bhawan, New Delhi.
Vigilance had sent the proposal after the Faridkot court accepted Malkiat Das’s plea to turn approver in the case. Malkiat, who is head of gaushala in Faridkot, is also an accused in the bribery case. Malkiat, after turning approver, provided details regarding the bribe paid to two police officers, which he claimed were collected from him on Yadav’s behalf. Earlier this month, Malkiat had recorded his statement in the court. The VB is still waiting for the government sanction.
A VB official on condition of anonymity said that the proposal sent to the home department to name IGP PK Yadav as accused is under examination.
The case
After HC questioned the clean chit given to the accused Jarnail Das in the Dera deputy head murder case, on October 12, 2022, IG Yadav formed a three-member SIT, led by SP Gagnesh, while DSP Sushil and SI Khem Chand Prashar as members, to probe the matter afresh. On December 30, 2022, however, the SIT was reconstituted by Yadav on the grounds of members being overburdened. The newly formed SIT was headed by Moga SP Manmeet Singh.
Meanwhile, in January 2023, Punjab DGP again formed an SIT under the deputy inspector general of police (DIG), Ferozepur-range, Ranjit Singh. The FIR in the graft case was lodged on the basis of the probe of the DIG-led SIT, which had found loopholes in the 2019 murder case probe and also said that the cops took bribes to “re-nominate” the accused. The case was then handed over to VB for further action.
On July 19 last year, Vigilance had arrested Sushil Kumar in the bribery case. Later in August, Prashar and Malkeet surrendered. Vigilance had in September submitted a chargesheet against DSP Sushil Kumar, now suspended, in the case.
