Extortion case: Chandigarh police arrest constable

Chandigarh, August 7

A day after the UT police booked a Sub-Inspector (SI) and three others for kidnapping and extorting Rs 1 crore from a Punjab-based businessman after threatening him with implication in a false NDPs case, they arrested Constable Virender in the case.

Another constable, named Shiv Kumar, is absconding. Shiv Kumar was posted in the security wing of the UT police and was deputed in the security of the brother of the slain Rajbir Singh, alias Sonu Shah.

Sonu Shah, a property dealer, was shot dead by the four assailants inside his office at Burail village, Sector 45, on September 28, 2019.

Shiv Kumar’s involvement in the extortion incident has raised many questions. Earlier, Constable Pawan, who was posted in the PCR wing, was arrested in a graft case registered by CBI on July 31. He was extorting money from a complainant after threatening him with false implication in an extortion case registered by the Operations Cell. Accused Manish Dubey, alias Bablu, and Anil Goyal, alias Kuki, were arrested by the CBI while allegedly accepting Rs 3 lakh in bribe from a Ram Darbar resident, Deepak, allegedly on behalf of Constable Pawan.

The other accused in the case involving the Punjab-based businessman Sanjay Goyal, SI Naveen Phogat, Sarvesh, Jitender and Gill, are also absconding.

Meanwhile, the police produced Constable Virender before a local court that sent him to three-day police custody. The police alleged before the court that the constable was not cooperating in the investigation. They said the accused was arrested late in the night yesterday and the whole conspiracy was yet to be unearthed.

Gaurav Sahota, counsel for the accused, opposed the remand, saying that Virender had nothing to do with the alleged extortion case.

The accused was present at the police post when he received a call from the Sub-Inspector, as such he was duty bound to follow the order of the senior. However, he was not aware of the purpose for which he was called.

Sahota said no recovery was made from him and nothing was to be recovered from him in future.

After hearing of the arguments, the court granted three-day police remand of the accused.