FIR clears the air, it was a joint operation

Amit Sharma

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 10

It was a joint and coordinated operation of the Punjab and Chandigarh police in which dreaded gangster Dilpreet Singh Baba was nabbed following a dramatic case. This is evident from the contents of an FIR registered on a statement of Punjab DSP (Intelligence) Tajinder Singh Sandhu.

The entire operation had led to a credit war with Punjab Police officials claiming that it was solely their operation with assistance from the Chandigarh Police. However, the FIR mentions that the operation was jointly executed by the Punjab and Chandigarh police.

According to the FIR, Inspector Gurcharan Singh of the Punjab Police, who was stationed outside the ISBT, Sector 43, saw the gangster approaching in a Swift Dzire car and signalled him to stop. However, Dilpreet did not stop and sped away. Inspector Gurcharan then alerted a police party, led by Inspector Amanjot Singh of the UT police, following which Inspector Amanjot chased the car and dashed his Fortuner into it. In the meantime, another police party, led by Inspector Shiv Kumar of the Punjab Police, reached the spot and smashed the windowpane of the gangster’s car after which Dilpreet fired two gunshots at the police before getting shot on his thigh by a Punjab DSP.

Punjab Police visited UT crime branch before op

Almost an hour before dreaded gangster Dilpreet Singh Baba was nabbed, a team of the Punjab Police had visited the crime branch of the Chandigarh Police in Sector 11 to share information about Dilpreet, from where teams of both the Punjab and Chandigarh police left for Sector 43, where Dilpreet was expected to arrive. There is an entry in the daily diary register of the crime branch which mentions the names of the Punjab Police officials who had visited there before the operation.

On Monday, Punjab Police officials had claimed that they had given information about their operation to the area police and it was solely their operation with assistance from the UT police. However, their visit to the crime branch before the operation raises several questions over their claims. 

As per the DDR of the crime branch, a team of the Punjab Police, including two DSPs, reached the crime branch in Sector 11 at 11.25 am. The Punjab Police shared their input with the in-charge of the crime branch. According to the records, 10 minutes after the Punjab Police arrived, they left from there at 11.35 am accompanied by a team of the crime branch, led by Inspector Amanjot Singh. Sources said all teams then halted near the Sector 42/43 roundabout and made a plan of how and where to lay the trap.  

Dilpreet’s condition stable 

Dilpreet is admitted to the PGI and his condition is stable. A heavy police deployment has been made at the hospital to prevent any untoward incident. 

Arrest after discharge 

The police said the arrest of the gangster would be made only after he is discharged from the hospital.