ADGP to probe senior officers who backed dismissed cop Inderjit

Jupinderjit Singh

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Chandigarh, April 19

Armed with sweeping powers to examine any top-ranking police officer of Punjab, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) RK Jaiswal today began an inquiry to find out the role of senior officials in approving the promotions or awards for the dismissed drug-tainted Inspector Inderjit or in protecting him during a number of inquiries against him.

The inquiry may also suggest action, if any, against any officer who approved the recently dismissed Assistant Inspector General (AIG) Raj Jit Singh Hundal’s recommendations in favour of Inderjit. Raj Jit was sacked for allegedly colluding with Inderjit. The inquiry started today on the orders of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to DGP Gaurav Yadav last evening. Inquiry officer Jaiswal, appointed by the DGP, today took the service record of Inderjit and Raj Jit into possession.

Dubious rise

• Enlisted as constable in 1986; on promotion list in Aug 1989
• Head Constable in May 1992
• SI on ad hoc basis in 1993
• Plum postings as SHO/CIA in-charge after 1993
• Became Inspector in 2013

Couldn’t have run the racket alone

Not possible for a low rank Inspector to run a huge network of extortion & drug trafficking alone. Action must be taken against senior officers who approved promotions of Inderjit Singh on recommendations of Raj Jit Singh. —Punjab Govt order

The probe into the drug mafia-police nexus which was limited to scrutinising Inderjit’s role will now investigate the involvement of Raj Jit too. Additionally, a large number of police officers may come under the scanner as Inderjit was in the force from 1986 to June 2017. Inderjit received 77 commendation certificates (for action against drugs smugglers) and a gallantry medal during his service. Fourteen departmental inquiries were ordered but he was let off in 13 of these. His one year of approved service was forfeited on the basis of only one inquiry that went against him.

As per the government order, the inquiry officer is asked to submit immediately the record of officers who helped Inderjit or Raj Jit Singh directly or indirectly.

The orders giving sweeping powers to the inquiry officer said: “It is not possible for a low rank ORP (own rank and pay) Inspector to run such a huge network of extortion and drug trafficking alone. Action should be taken against the senior officers who approved transfers/promotions/grant of local rank to Inderjit Singh on the recommendations of Raj Jit Singh.”

The inquiry is constituted on the basis of three reports by a special investigation team (SIT) on the complicity of AIG Raj Jit Singh (now dismissed) with drug-tainted cop Inderjit Singh. The SIT reports established the complicity and talked about the influence of other officers also. “The fact that Inderjit Singh was able to get himself out of trouble in all departmental inquiries, despite the charges being of serious nature, it suggests that he wields a huge influence in the state police,” one of the reports stated.