3-day police remand for two; judicial custody for ex-cop

Tribune News Service

Punjab and Haryana High Court lawyer Jatin Salwan and another co-accused Narender were sent to three-day police remand by a local court today in a drug and fake currency case. The third accused, retired UT police inspector Tarsem Rana, was sent to judicial remand.

The police told the court that the recovery of Rs 15 lakh in fake currency was a “national issue” and they wanted to trace its source, besides finding out how it reached the accused. The police also wanted to trace others involved in the case.

 The trio was arrested for allegedly planting 2.6 kg of opium and Rs 15 lakh in fake currency in the car of Bhagwan Singh, who was arrested by the police last month near Maloya. Tarsem, a resident of Sector 26, Salwan, a resident of Sector 15, and Narender, a native of Ludhiana, completed their one-day police remand today. They will now be produced before the court on July 6.

Police sources said Narender and Gurnihal Singh Peerjada, a retired IAS officer, had a property dispute with Sukhbir Singh Shergil. The latter reportedly received a call from Canada to collect a file so that the case could be disposed of. He sent his accountant, Bhagwan, to collect it. However, they allegedly put the cash and drugs in his car and later informed the police, who arrested him. However, during investigations, call records of all persons involved in the case were checked and it was found the three had allegedly planned to get Bhagwan and his boss Shergill trapped.