SHO, ASI among 5 booked for taking ₹20 lakh bribe to release drug peddler in Punjab
During the interrogation of Gujral, it came to the fore that the accused was earlier arrested by Subhanpur police in Kapurthala on March 11 in an NDPS Act case registered at Sultanpur police station by then SHO Harjeet Singh. But the accused was released from police custody after giving the bribe
Eight days after the Jalandhar rural police arrested a drug peddler with 6kg of heroin, two policemen, including a sub-inspector from Kapurthala district, are among five people booked for releasing the accused drug smuggler Gujral Singh after taking a bribe of ₹20 lakh.
During the interrogation of Gujral, it came to the fore that the accused was earlier arrested by Subhanpur police in Kapurthala on March 11 in an NDPS Act case registered at Sultanpur police station by then SHO Harjeet Singh. But the accused was released from police custody after giving the bribe. Harjeet is presently posted as SHO Kotwali, Kapurthala, and is on the run. Paramjeet Singh, who is presently posted as in-charge Badshahpur police station, was the reader at Sultanpur police station then.
On the instructions of deputy inspector general of police (Jalandhar range) Swapan Sharma, Kapurthala’s senior superintendent of police Rajpal Singh Sandhu has registered a case against SHO Harjeet Singh, assistant sub-inspector of police Paramjeet Singh, middlemen Onkar Singh and Joginder Singh of Bhoot village and accused drug peddler Gujral Singh under Sections 222 (Intentional omission to apprehend a person on the part of public servant) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and other sections of the prevention of corruption act.
SSP Sandhu said accused Paramjeet Singh and Onkar have been arrested, while both Joginder and Gujral, who are already lodged in the jail in NDPS cases, will be brought on the production warrant.
“The lookout circular (LOC) has already been issued against accused Harjeet Singh, and teams have been formed to nab him. Police are carrying out raids at his possible hideouts and have recovered some cash and bank-related documents, which are being probed,” Sandhu said.
He added that both the police personnel had been placed under suspension with immediate effect.
On June 13, the Jalandhar rural police arrested Gujral from Mallian Khurd village on the Nakodar-Kapurthala road.
During interrogation, Jalandhar rural senior superintendent of police Mukhwinder Singh Bhullar said Gujral disclosed that he was arrested by Subhanpur police in a drug case on March 11 but was let off after he shelled out a hefty bribe. “Based on his revelation, the report was sent to the DIG office for action against concerned police personnel involved in this matter,” he said.
