Calls bare police-miner nexus in Panchkula

WhatsApp groups were allegedly used to share information about vehicle registration numbers carrying illegally mined sand, so that these could be allowed to pass without being checked.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has not only issued strictures on the delayed investigation against police officers but has also directed the Commissioner of Police, Panchkula, to appear in person on March 3.

The matter came to light on November 27, 2024.

According to an FIR, which is based on source-based information, Deepak Sharma, a Home Guard, acted as a middleman for officers at police stations and posts in the Pinjore and Chandimandir areas, collecting bribes from illegal miners on their behalf.

Initially, Amardeep of Batour village in Panchkula, Ramsharan of Raipur Rani and Aadesh Kumar of Saharanpur were arrested and seven tippers were seized. The arrest of Sahil Rana of Sultanpur village in Panchkula on December 4, 2024, led to more revelations, including the alleged involvement of Jaspreet Singh, alias Romi Patiala, one of the key figures in the racket. From Rana, the Panchkula police recovered four more tippers and a JCB machine. After securing anticipatory bail from the high court, Chajja Singh, Romi Patiala and Deepak joined the investigation on February 3.

According to the status report dated February 17, submitted by ACP Mandeep Singh Sudan (now ASP, Kurukshetra), alleged middlemen Deepak and Shubham (Home Guard) exchanged 351 calls between 2022 and 2024. Ramsharan reportedly shared registration numbers of tippers with Deepak. Illegal mining was allegedly discussed by Rana and Deepak on a WhatsApp voice message.

Deepak was found using five phone numbers, while Chajja Singh operated eight phones and exchanged 278 calls with him. Romi Patiala was reportedly using three phones.

Three police witnesses — Gopal, Vikram, alias Vickey, and Puneet Bansal — recorded their statements before a magistrate, stating that in the name of Inspector Suchindra of the Enforcement Department, payments ranging from Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 2 lakh per month were made to ASIs Rakesh Nain and Satish Kumar. Additionally, Rs 1,000 per tipper was allegedly paid to Deepak and Shubham, according to the police report.

However, Deepak has denied the allegations.

According to a police chargesheet presented before a Panchkula court on January 25, the arrested accused claimed that Shubham collected bribes on behalf of the SHO, Traffic, Surajpur, Home Guard Gaurav collected money allegedly in the name of Sub-Inspector Gurpal (then in-charge of the Barwala police post) and Deepak collected money during the tenures of several former SHOs — Inspectors Deepak, Arvind, Lalit and Prithvi Singh. Some of these officers have since been promoted to the DSP rank.

The police said the arrested accused revealed that direct bribes were paid to approximately 18 officers, including “ASI Surender (Mauli police post), ASI Malkit (Barwala police post), Suresh (PCR, Mauli), Home Guard Vikas (PCR), Sub-Inspector Singhraj (in-charge, Mauli police post), ASI Mukesh (in-charge, Ramgarh police post), Sub-Inspector Gulab (in-charge, Mauli police post), Pawan (in-charge, PCR, Mauli), ASI Rajbir (in-charge, Ramgarh police post), Pinjore SHO’s driver, Jaswinder Gujjar, ASI Anwar, Sub-Inspector Surender (CID), ASI Subhash Rana, ASI Ravisher, Rohtash (Enforcement Department, and mining guards Sanjeev, Rajak and Kuldeep”.

These policemen have different postings now. However, investigations against these officials are still pending, says the chargesheet.

In a reply before a lower court on February 21, ACP Vikram Nehra admitted that while four private individuals had been chargesheeted, of the 82 named in the statements of the accused and witnesses, 69 had been questioned so far.

After the high court on February 19 commented that “the investigation into the present case has not made any headway and rather it appears that every attempt is being made to screen the senior police officers,” the Panchkula police arrested three low-ranking policemen — head constables Nafe Singh and Inderjeet, deputed with the Haryana State Enforcement Bureau, ASI Malkit Singh and driver Manveer of the Mining Department.