Former SSP joins VB probe

Aman Sood

Tribune News Service

Patiala, March 21

Three months after the Vigilance Bureau registered a case against former PPS officer Surjit Grewal, he joined the investigation on Wednesday. However the VB officials claimed that the former police officer “did not answer their queries pertaining to disproportionate assets”.

Sources confirmed that Grewal was questioned for over five hours, but he allegedly did not answer questions pertaining to his income and expenditure. “To most of the questions about his investments in cash, he did not give any satisfactory reply,” they said.

Despite the rejection of his bail, Grewal, who served as the SSP in Moga and Fazilka, had been evading arrest.

The VB had booked Grewal on December 21, following a complaint by US-based Sarabjit Singh. He had accused the former policeman of indulging in corruption from 2009 to 2014, while in service.

Jaspreet Sidhu, SSP, VB, Patiala, said the former PPS officer refused to give direct reply to any question regarding his cash investments in buying land and land bought in the name of his close relatives.

“There is a lot of evidence of corruption and black money in this case, which needs in-depth probe. His questioning is crucial as he had transferred and procured properties in the names of his close relatives but he did not cooperate,” said Sidhu.

As per VB records, the accused transferred 12 acres in the name of his son Jagjit Singh. The FIR also says the officer’s conduct during service was questionable and he used his clout to amass this ill-gotten wealth.

“We also need to ask him about his alleged land deals in the name of his relatives,” said a top official. “The fact that the cases he registered during that tenure when he faces corruption allegation can also be relooked into,” said the official.

Transactions in the name of his family members are also under the VB scanner. “The officer and his family members have fixed deposits worth Rs 25 crore, besides shares and around 40-kg jewellery,” read the initial complaint.

“While his official earning from 1999 till retirement was around Rs 2.12 crore, he spent about Rs 12.19 crore during this period,” reads the FIR.

The VB will now summon him again to give him one more opportunity to answer the queries and in case the accused fails to satisfy the VB, his custodial interrogation cannot be ruled out, said officials.

Meanwhile, another complaint has been filed with the VB pertaining to a former SSP in VB who held the post allegedly without any written orders. “The controversial ex-cop is already facing many allegations,” reads the complaint.