CBI chargesheets Haryana Inspector, two others in bribery case

Ramkrishan Upadhyay

Chandigarh, July 11

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a chargesheet in a Chandigarh court against an Inspector of the Haryana Police and two others in a bribery case.

Accused Inspector Balwant Singh was posted as an SHO of the cybercrime police station in Yamunanagar when he was arrested on April 23, 2024. The other accused are Harpal Singh and Jainender Singh, who allegedly took the bribe amount on behalf of the Inspector.

The CBI registered the case on a complaint filed by Sukhjit Singh, a resident of Manimajra in Chandigarh, under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Sukhjit, in his complaint to the CBI, said he owned a jewellery shop in Sector 23-C, Chandigarh and Balwant demanded an illegal gratification of Rs 40 lakh from him in lieu of not framing him in a case which he investigating.

Sukhjit said on March 29, 2024, the Inspector came to his shop and enquired about Vikramjeet Singh, a Mohali-based jeweller whom he had business relations with.The Inspector said they had detained a woman and Vikramjeet, who had claimed that he had given Rs 40 lakh to Sukhjit.

Denying the allegations, Sukhjit showed the Inspector some documents proving that it was in fact Vikramjeet who owed him Rs 26 lakh.

The Inspector allegedly threatened Sukhjit saying he was the investigating officer and would implicate him if his demand for Rs 40 lakh was not met. After receiving the complaint, the CBI laid a trap.

The CBI claimed in the chargesheet that recording of the calls exchanged between the complainant and the accused proved that the demand of the bribe was made.

After negotiation, the demand was reduced to Rs 5 lakh. CBI sleuths arrested Harpal and Jainender, who arrived at the jewellery shop to accept the money at the Inspector’s behest. Balwant was investigating a complaint filed by a US citizen who alleged that some people duped him of crores.