Dismissed Punjab Police SI Sarabjit Singh gets bail in DGP’s fake signature case

Chandigarh, May 24

A local court has granted bail to dismissed Punjab Police SI Sarabjit Singh arrested in the alleged case of fake promotions and recruitment orders issued under the signature of ex-DGP Sidharth Chattopadhyaya. The accused had been arrested in January along with other accused.

JS Bains, counsel for accused Sarabjit Singh, argued his name was not mentioned in the FIR. He claimed the SI had been in custody since January and falsely implicated in the case. No offence had been made out against him. He was neither a beneficiary nor had he forged any order. There was no evidence to connect him with the commission of offence of forgery, he contended.

On the other hand, public prosecutor JP Singh opposed the bail. He said several other criminal cases were registered against him. If granted bail, the applicant could jump bail, hamper investigation and influence prime witnesses.

After hearing the arguments, Additional Sessions Judge Dr Rajneesh said: “The applicant had been in custody since January. Challan has already been presented in court and completion of trial is likely to take time… no useful purpose will be served by detaining the applicant. Co-accused have already been granted bail. The court deems it appropriate to grant the benefit of bail to the applicant.”

The FIR was registered on the basis of a complaint filed by a staff officer to the then DGP. He had received four orders that were found to be fake.