Former Punjab DGP Sumedh Singh Saini had collapsed in lock-up

Jupinderjit Singh

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Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 1

Former Punjab Police DGP Sumedh Singh Saini had collapsed in Vigilance Bureau custody probably due to exhaustion on the intervening night of August 18-19, a leaked CCTV video has revealed. The clip shows the entire drama of the controversial arrest, which the Punjab and Haryana High Court declared illegal later.

Also read: Assets case: Former Punjab DGP Sumedh Singh Saini seeks 15 days to join probe

The recordings by various CCTV cameras installed at the Vigilance office show Saini along with his lawyer coming out of a car that stopped outside the office around 8:01 pm on August 18.

CCTV footage leaked

• Incident came to light through leaked CCTV recordings
• In lock-up around 1:38 am on August 19, Saini was seen standing against the wall
• He fainted, probably due to exhaustion; five officials standing outside came to his aid

Saini had come to join the investigation in an alleged case of corruption against him and a suspended XEN of the PWD. Saini was wearing a mask and a hat. He and his lawyer spoke to the guards, who in turn called up senior officials. At 8:22 pm, some senior officials reached the venue. They grabbed Saini by his arms and took him inside the building. The next video clip is of the ground floor lock-up. Around 1:38 am, Saini was seen standing against the wall when he suddenly collapsed. He had till that time chosen to stay awake as his lawyers were trying to get him released. The door of the lock-up was open and five Vigilance officials outside were keeping an eye on him. They later came to his help.

The case remained politically sensitive as the CM shifted the Home Secretary on the demand of a minister, who also sought removal of the Vigilance chief and Advocate General.