Ferozepur former DIG named accused in ₹10 lakh bribe case

Punjab Police vigilance bureau (VB) named IPS officer and Ferozepur former deputy inspector general of police (DIG) Inderbir Singh as accused of taking ₹10 lakh bribe from a drug supplier for not naming him in a case registered under the NDPS Act by the Bhikhiwind police in Tarn Taran.

Senior superintendent of police (SSP-VB) Amritsar range Varinder Singh said following a probe, Inderbir Singh has been nominated as accused in the case. “Further investigation is under process, so I cannot make more comments,” he added.

On June 30 last year, an FIR was registered in Bhikhiwind police station in Tarn Taran against Surjit Singh, from whom 900-gm opium was recovered. Another person Pishora Singh was also nominated in the case. Besides them, Nishan Singh, Hira Singh, DSP Lakhbir Singh and head constable Rashpal Singh were also nominated.

On July 6, 2022, DSP Lakhbir Singh, who was then posted at Faridkot, was arrested by the police in the case. The special investigation team (SIT) formed by Tarn Taran SSP had also found the involvement of a senior police officer but did not name him.

Later, the case was handed over to the VB and Inderbir was grilled by senior officers of the bureau after his involvement was suspected. In the general diary details dated June 5 of Bhikhiwind police station, he was named as accused in the case, following the investigation report forwarded by the Amritsar range vigilance SSP. “The VB nominated Inderbir Singh as accused in the case,” reads a special report submitted by Bhikhiwind police station.

“The revelation made by the arrested accused and other technical inputs pointed out the name of Inderbir and his involvement was established,” said a VB official.

As per the press release issued by the police last year, 250-gm opium and ₹1 lakh drug money was seized from Pishora Singh. When police conducted raids to arrest Pishora Singh, he tried to bribe cops by offering ₹7 lakh through ASI Rashpal Singh. Pishora then met Rashpal Singh’s brother Hira Singh through his acquaintance Nishan Singh of Sito village in Tarn Taran. They approached DSP Lakhbir, who was earlier posted at Bhikhiwind. The deal was settled at ₹10 lakh and the money was given to Hira Singh. On the disclosure of Pishora Singh, the police recovered ₹9.97 lakh from the house of Hira Singh, it said.

A case was registered under Sections 7, 7-A, and 8 (1) of the Prevention of Corruption Act; Sections 213, 214, and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC); and various provisions of the NDPS Act at the Bhikhiwind police station.