Chandigarh: Court junks DSP’s plea to replace him as SIT head

Chandigarh, July 6

Chief Judicial Magistrate Dr Aman Inder Singh Sandhu rejected a petition by Udaypal Singh, DSP (Crime), seeking permission to relieve him from the investigation into the alleged salary scam in the Chandigarh Police and the same be handed over to Inspector Ashok Kumar.

The DSP is the head of the three-member SIT constituted by Ketan Bansal, SP, vide order dated June 1, 2023, to probe the case. The other two members are Inspector Ashok Kumar and SI Dilbagh Singh.

Udaypal, in his petition, said he had the charge of the crime branch, besides having supervising controls over many branches. He said in the present case, the role of about 200 police staffers was being looked into, which required full-time availability of the IO.

The court said as per Section 17 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, no officer below the rank of the DSP should investigate any offence under the Act without the order of the magistrate concerned.

“In case, an SIT member finds some difficulty in discharge of his functions, he should approach the higher authority that constituted the SIT. The latter can make an application before the magistrate for seeking permission to appoint an officer below the rank of the DSP. A member can’t approach the magistrate for changing the constitution of the SIT,” it said.