Book sacked AIG over disproportionate assets, Punjab tells VB

Tribune News Service

Sanjeev Singh Bariana

Chandigarh, April 18

Along with the formal dismissal orders for the controversial Assistant Inspector General (AIG) Raj Jit Hundal for running drug and extortion rackets, the Department of Home Affairs and Justice today asked the Vigilance Department to register a case against him for accumulation of disproportionate assets.

In the letter quoting SIT reports that innocent persons were being falsely implicated for the purpose of extorting money, the department has also sought that a case be registered under Sections 7, 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act and Section 59 of the NDPS Act.

As per the formal dismissal orders, a day after Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann made the announcement, AIG Hundal has been dismissed in “exercise of powers under Article 311(2)(b) of Constitution of India and Rule 13 of Punjab Civil Services (Punishment & Appeal) Rules, 1970”.

The Punjab Public Service Commission has expressed its agreement. An order in this regard on behalf of the state Governor was issued by Additional Chief Secretary (Department of Home Affairs and Justice) Anurag Verma.

In a separate letter, the Department of Home Affairs had asked the DGP to depute a senior officer to conduct an investigation into FIR number 1 dated June 12, 2017 under Sections 59 (2) b NDPS Act, 218, 466, 471, 120-B IPC registered at police station, Special Task Force, SAS Nagar.

While investigating, all three reports of SIT need to be taken into account. The FIR was registered against Inderjit Singh. The SIT reports show that Raj Jit was hand in glove with Inderjit Singh. Therefore, he should also be nominated as an accused under Sections 120-B of the IPC in the same FIR.

The letter read that it is not possible for a low-rank Inspector to run a big network of extortion and drug trafficking alone. The investigating officer should examine the role of all police officers concerned, however highly placed they maybe be. Both the reports have been sought within a month. The order read “the misconduct committed by Raj Jit Singh, PPS, is grave in nature which does not entitle him to any leniency. He deserves to be awarded major penalty as his conduct is most egregious”.

Three SIT reports were lying in a sealed cover with the Punjab and Haryana High Court for the past five years. They were made public earlier this month and CM Bhagwant Mann had assured appropriate action.

The order said that “the contents of all the three reports submitted by SIT in compliance of the orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court leave no iota of doubt and prove the complicity of Raj Jit Singh with drug smugglers...”

The order clearly said that Raj Jit had close nexus with Inspector Inderjit and had him transferred to his places of posting in Tarn Taran and Hoshiarpur. Raj Jit had recommended Inderjit for a double promotion. He also wrote demi official letter praising Inderjit although the former had criminal cases and departmental inquiries pending against him. He was made Investigating Officer in NDPS cases where he was not eligible to be one.

Deserves no leniency

The misconduct committed by Raj Jit Singh is grave which does not entitle him to any leniency. He deserves to be awarded major penalty as his conduct is most egregious. — Punjab Governor’s order

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