Punjab: DGP forms SIT to further probe police recruitment racket involving Babbu-12 bore

Punjab director general of police (DGP) Dinkar Gupta has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe a police recruitment racket busted on December 20 with arrest of Harinder Singh, alias Babbu-12 bore, who, investigation has revealed, had duped 11 persons of ₹70 lakh. The SIT will work under the supervision of Patiala Range inspector general, with SSPs of Amritsar Rural, Mohali, Barnala, Sangrur and Patiala, as members.

“The SIT will also probe the involvement and the role of other accused involved in the racket,” a police spokesperson said. Harinder was arrested on a complaint from assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Parminder Singh on December 20 for duping the public in the name of recruitment in the Punjab Police department. Harinder had managed to dupe even the ASI of ₹40 lakh.

Modus operandi

The spokesperson added that Harinder, who belonged to an agricultural family in Patiala, impersonated as a sub-inspector in Punjab Police. To explain his not wearing a uniform, he told his victims that he dealt in secret operations and was, thus, not required to do so. He handed over forged appointment letters of Punjab Police in exchange for money. He mainly operated from Kharar (Mohali) and Patiala.

During investigation, the police recovered original certificates of complainants, ₹3 lakh and a phone from Harinder, who also used a Pajero which has been seized. Digital evidence of his crime has also been seized in the form of the computer systems of a cyber cafe in Sector 35C, Chandigarh, which was used for printing of fake joining letters and DO letters handed over to the complainants.

During interrogation, Harinder confessed to having spent ₹40.6 lakh on the purchase of a Pajero; repayment of debt taken for the treatment of his daughter and paying the rent of his accommodation in Palm Villa, New Delhi, among others.

Among several FIRs registered against him across Punjab, the one registered on December 20 books him under sections 419 (cheating by personation); 420 (fraud); 467 (forgery of valuable security, will); 468 (forgery for cheating); 471 (using as genuine a forged document) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code and 66D of the Information Technology (IT) Act at Tapa police station in Barnala district.