Gurugram: Retd SI, three cops jailed for illegally confining man

Gurugram, March 10

A local court on Wednesday sentenced a retired Sub-Inspector (SI) to five years in jail and three constables to three years for framing and illegally confining a cyber cafe owner in custody in 2009.

The court has also imposed a fine of Rs 40,000 each on all four of them. While the former SI has been sent to judicial custody, the other three cops have been granted interim bail.

According to the counsel, the court has asked for the submission of challans against the cops, who also could be involved in the crime. It may be noted that the other cops were named in the case but got a clean chit in the investigation.

Prashant Yadav, counsel of the convicts, said three constables had been granted interim bail under Section 389 of the CrPC and they could appeal in the Punjab and Haryana High Court within two months for permanent bail.

The Court of Additional District and Session Judge Ashwani Kumar Mehta sentenced all four of them, including retired SI Ram Dyal and constables Rajesh, Sunil and Vinod. The convicts, who were posted in the crime branch, were held guilty on February 23.

According to senior counsel Amit Jain it was on September 3, 2009, that the team of the Sector 46 crime unit raided a cyber cafe in Rajiv Nagar. They accused owner Hansraj Rathi of making fake voter IDs and other I-cards. Rathi along with two employees was picked up and the accused demanded Rs 1 lakh from them. On not getting the money, they got a case registered against the trio who were jailed.

The three complainants got bail in November and when they came back they found their cafe sealed. They moved the court, got it reopened and using CCTV footage went to the CID chief, claiming they were illegally detained for two days. An inquiry found all four cops guilty who were then booked and suspended. After being held guilty, all four of them were taken into custody and the court pronounced the quantum of punishment.