3 cops indicted in illegal detention case

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 13

The Punjab Police have indicted three of their officials in an illegal detention case.

In an affidavit submitted before the Punjab and Haryana High Court, a DSP submitted that negligence towards duty of Inspector Jangjit Singh, ASI Sukhdev Singh and Head Constable Surjit Singh stood duly proved during a departmental inquiry.

The developments before Justice Daya Chaudhary’s Bench took place during the hearing of a petition by Samanjeet Kaur through counsel Pradeep Virk. She had moved the High Court seeking appointment of a warrant officer for her husband Beant Singh’s release.

Justice Chaudhary also directed the state to either produce the missing mobile phone or file an affidavit of the warrant officer appointed by the court. The direction came after the state claimed that the mobile phone was seized by the warrant officer, while Virk alleged attempt by the state to mislead the court.

The warrant officer, in his report submitted to the High Court after reaching the police station, quoted the SHO as saying Beant Singh was brought for investigation, but was freed as he was not required in any case.

Alleging illegal detention by the SHO of the Baghapurana police station, Virk on the petitioner’s behalf had submitted that her husband was known to the family of Kulpreet Singh, aka Neeta Deol, an accused in the Nabha jailbreak case. Virk claimed that the Punjab Police was torturing and implicating Deol’s family and friends in false cases. Her husband’s ordeal began after he went to prison to meet Deol in January. On February 4, he was forcibly taken away by the police.