Chandigarh, December 20
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today stayed till January 10 further proceedings in two FIRs registered against Punjab’s former Director-General of Police (DGP) S.S Virk.
Taking up the petition that particularly brings under scanner the functioning of SP Surinder Pal Singh, Justice H.S. Bhalla of the high court also issued a notice of motion to him, along with the state of Punjab, the DGP and the Vigilance Bureau. Currently, Surinder Pal Singh is functioning as an investigating officer in a case against Virk.
Pronouncing the orders on the petition filed by Virk for a CBI probe into the cases registered against him, Justice Bhalla observed, keeping in view the facts and circumstances of the case it would be in the interest of justice, at the current stage, that
further proceedings were stayed till the next date of hearing. Accordingly, further proceedings in the FIR dated March 13 and the FIR dated September 8 shall remain stayed.
At the very onset of the proceedings, counsel for the former DGP contended that Surinder Pal Singh had concealed facts with an ulterior motive. Elaborating, the counsel said Surinder Pal Singh totally concealed his participation while lodging the FIR against Virk.
He avoided mentioning that land in question was purchased for cooperative society and his own wife was not only a society member, but also an office-bearer of its executive body. Besides, Surinder Pal Singh was a complainant in a matter, but had also stepped into the shoes of an investigating officer.
After going through the petition and hearing the arguments in the matter, Justice Bhalla observed: “The number of other grounds of mala fide have also been raised, which are not required to be discussed at this stage, lest it might prejudice the rights of the parties.”
Alleging false implication and political vendetta, Virk in his fresh petition for a CBI probe has also raised questions over the manner in which the proceedings had been initiated against him. This is the second petition Virk had filed.
Virk had earlier also filed a petition seeking a CBI probe into the case registered against him by the Vigilance Bureau. Apprehending implication in some other cases at the behest of the present government, Virk had referred to several letters written by him in this regard. His counsel had withdrawn the petition, while expressing intention to file a fresh one.
