Web journalist held for extortion, graft

Two days after the Mohali phase-1 police arrested suspended assistant inspector general (AIG, human rights), Punjab, Malvinder Singh Sidhu in an extortion case registered against him last month, the police on Friday arrested a web journalist for his alleged connivance with the AIG.

The accused, identified as Rajinder Singh Taggar, was arrested from his house in Mohali.

Taggar has been nominated in two extortion cases already registered against AIG at Phase 1 and Phase 8 police stations.

Mohali police have formed a new four-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the latest extortion case registered at Phase-1 police station against the AIG and the co-accused.

According to the police, AIG Sidhu during interrogation on Friday disclosed to SIT that Taggar allegedly offered help to lay dharnas outside Social Welfare Office in Phase-1 for inaction pertaining to a complaint against his son-in-law, who was having a marital dispute with his daughter.

Police claimed that the AIG reportedly had to pay ₹50,000 to Taggar for the protests and its coverage.

Police on March 20 had registered a case against the AIG and co-accused Balbir Singh for extortion, criminal conspiracy and the PC Act. Police on Friday nominated Taggar in the case.

Police recovered a recording from the AIG’s phone. According to the police, AIG Sidhu was heard offering ₹30,000 to Balbir for staging a protest outside the Punjab Social Welfare Office.

A complaint was submitted to the social welfare department against Sidhu’s son-in-law accusing him of making a fake caste certificate.

According to sources, to press the complaint against his son-in-law, Sidhu allegedly bribed Balbir.

Police claimed that they have retrieved a section of recording in which Taggar was heard conniving with the AIG and Balbir following which he was booked in both the cases.

Phase-1 police on Saturday produced both Taggar and AIG before a local court which sent them to two days police remand.

Moreover, police requested for Taggar’s remand citing that they need to verify the source of funding to Taggar’s web channel.

Meanwhile, the Chandigarh Press Club condemned Taggar’s arrest. “This amounts to censorship of the media and the Election Commission of India should look into this matter. We also request the DGP Punjab Police to look into this matter and a fair investigation should be done,” the press statement reads.