Amritsar: DIG booked for ‘freeing’ drug peddler for bribe

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Amritsar, June 30

The Vigilance Bureau has named DIG Inderbir Singh in an NDPS case that pertains to the ‘release’ of a drug peddler after taking a bribe.

The incident happened in June last year when a DSP-rank official Lakhvir Singh was arrested by the Tarn Taran police under the NDPS Act and the Prevention of Corruption Act in July.

The case

• The Bhikhwind police on June 30 last year arrested Surjit Singh of Mari Megha village for allegedly possessing 900 gm of opium
• His interrogation led to the arrest of Pishora Singh
• Later, during a probe, the police nabbed then Faridkot DSP Lakhvir Singh
• He was accused of taking a bribe of Rs 10 lakh for letting off Pishora Singh
• The DSP had alleged that he was acting on the DIG’s direction

The case was later handed over to the Vigilance and a three-member SIT comprising the SSP, Ferozepur, Gurmeet Singh and the SSP, Amritsar, Vigilance, Varinder Singh was formed.

Varinder Singh said the investigations against him were in progress. He was named in the case on June 5. The Vigilance had requested the court for his polygraph test and would decide on his arrest after it. DIG Inderbir Singh had refuted the charges, terming it baseless, adding that he had got his statements recorded with the SIT. “I have joined investigations multiple times and given all evidence to it,” he said. On the polygraph test, he said he had already filed his detailed reply in the court and the matter was sub judice. The Bhikhwind police on June 30 last year arrested Surjit Singh of Mari Megha village for allegedly possessing 900 gm of opium. His interrogation led to the arrest of Pishora Singh. Later, during a probe, the police nabbed then Faridkot DSP Lakhvir Singh on corruption charge. He was accused of taking a bribe of Rs 10 lakh for letting off Pishora Singh in an FIR earlier.

DIG Inderbir’s name cropped up during the interrogation of Lakhvir, who had alleged that he was acting on his direction. Besides Lakhvir, Surjit and Pishora, the VB had arrested Heera Singh of Dubli village in Tarn Taran. ASI Rashpal Singh was also booked in the FIR registered under Sections 18, 29, 59, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act, Sections 213, 214 and 120B of the IPC and Sections 7A and 8 (1) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.