Extortion case: Panchkula police seek production warrant for financier

Panchkula, June 6

The local police have sought a production warrant for financier Anil Bhalla and his son Sahil Bhalla, who are in judicial custody at Ambala Jail in the extortion case, to quiz them regarding the recovery of drugs and illegal arms and ammunition from their house.

The police had recovered 697 gm of opium during a raid at Bhalla’s house in Sector 2 on May 30. The police had arrested three persons — Anju, wife of Anil Bhalla, Anjali, wife of his son Sahil, and Gaurav, brother of Anjali, and had recovered Rs 4.63 crore, illegal arms and ammunition and drugs from their possession.

The investigating team raided the house when the suspects were trying to flee from the house with the cash, drugs and illegal arms, including two 12 bore guns, 11 rounds and three magazines, besides 697 gm of opium. Assistant Commissioner of Police and SIT head Surinder Singh said the two suspects would be brought on production warrant from Ambala Jail and would be produced in the court tomorrow to seek their police remand for questioning regarding the seizure of drugs and illegal arms and ammunition from their house.

Earlier, the police had arrested three members of a gang of extortionists — Anil Bhalla, a resident of Sector 2, Narinder Khillan, a resident of Sector 10, and ASI Gurmej Singh, in-charge of the Sector 2 police post. The trio was arrested during a raid conducted by Deputy Commissioner of Police Surinder Pal Singh. However, the ASI managed to escape from police custody with the help of two head constables, who were suspended. Later, Sub-Inspector Bhupinder Singh was also suspended for “flaws” in the investigations carried by him in the extortion case. A case under Sections 193, 212, 384, 406, 409, 420, 467, 468, 471, 506 and 120-B of the IPC had been registered against four persons at the Sector 5 police station.

Meanwhile, ASI Gurmej Singh is still at large even though his bail application was rejected by the local court.