Panipat: Tainted CIA-2 head, 4 others suspended

Mukesh Tandon

Panipat, June 23

Superintendent of Police (SP) Ajit Singh Shekhawat here has suspended five police personnel, including in-charge of the CIA-2 police, “for making a settlement with drug peddlers and taking Rs 22 lakh from a drug peddler for releasing him and also showing less quantity of the seized drugs from another drug peddler”.

Sources said the CIA-2 team had arrested Sumit, alias Monu, of Chiri village of Rohtak district and seized 1.20 kg of opium from him.

It was alleged that at the same time, another person Ravinder was also nabbed by the CIA-2 unit, but was let off after a deal was struck with him.

The sources said that the deal with the two had been finalised for Rs 30 lakh and they had taken Rs 22 lakh from them, while Rs 8 lakh was pending.

SP Shekhawat later constituted another team which nabbed Ravinder, the alleged drug supplier, after 10 days. During interrogation, the accused revealed the detailed story of the settlement with the CIA-2 unit in charge SI Saurabh and his team members, including head constable Umed Singh, Puneet and constables Deepak and Mandeep.

The sources said during the investigation it was revealed that Sumit and Ravinder were nabbed together, but the team made a settlement with them. Ravinder was nabbed with the 2.5 kg opium. The police personnel finalised the deal for Rs 30 lakh and after taking Rs 22 lakh, released Ravinder and also showed less quantity of opium recovered from Sumit.

Following the investigation report, SP Shekhawat suspended the then CIA-2 in charge Saurabh and four other police personnel, head constables Umed Singh and Puneet and constables Deepak and Mandeep, and ordered departmental inquiry against them.

Notably, SP Shekhawat had already suspended SI Saurabh, in charge, CIA-2, ASI Jaiveer, Munshi Praveen for not opening the gate of the CIA-2 police station during the surprise visit of the District Sessions Judge on May 4. The District Judge had to wait at the gate for a long time.

Taking a serious note of this, the District Judge sent his report to the Punjab and Haryana High Court and on the directions of the High Court, SP Shekhawat had suspended the three, including CIA-2 in charge and terminated a special police officer (SPO) from the job.

Shekhawat said all five were suspended and departmental inquiry against them was on. DSP Samalkha Narender Kadyan was the inquiry officer.