IG Gursharan Singh Sandhu to supervise SIT probing Bikram Majithia case

Tribune News Service

Jupinderjit Singh

Chandigarh, March 20

Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Sunday ordered the reconstitution of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the drug case against SAD leader and former Minister Bikram Singh Majithia.

IGP, Crime Branch, Gursharan Singh Sandhu, known for his professionalism and clean service record, will supervise the working of the four-member team headed by AIG Dr Rahul S. The other team members are AIG Ranjit Singh and DSPs Raghbir Singh and Amanpreet Singh.

4-member team

• The reconstituted four-member team will be headed by AIG Dr Rahul S. The other team members are AIG Ranjit Singh and DSPs Raghbir Singh and Amanpreet Singh
• IGP, Crime Branch, Gursharan Singh Sandhu will take a call on the line of action and ensure the investigation team works within its mandate and remains on course

IG Sandhu’s supervision of the SIT means he will take a call on the line of action and ensure the SIT works within its mandate and remains on course. The actual investigation on the ground and questioning of the accused or witnesses will be done by Dr Rahul S and his team, an official said.

The previous SIT was a three-member team headed by AIG Balraj Singh. The SIT was formed to investigate allegations against Majithia based on an FIR lodged under various sections of the NDPS Act on December 20, 2021. Director Bureau of Investigation B Chandershekhar has issued the orders regarding the formation of the new SIT.

The 49-page FIR was based on an inquiry report by ADGP Harpreet Singh Sidhu, head of the special task force (STF) against drugs. Sources said ADGP Sidhu was not happy with the progress made by AIG Balraj’s team and had conveyed this to his superiors.

Further, AIG Balraj was also caught in a controversy on out-of-turn promotion of his son in the police department. On the orders of then DGP Sidharth Chattopadhyaya, AIG’s son Princepreet Singh was promoted as Inspector a day after the FIR against Majithia. The AIG had defended the promotion saying his son was denied the due rise in the rank earlier.

AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal had not talked much about the drug case against Majithia in the election campaign. The party said the law would take its own course in the matter. This was contrary to the party’s strategy in the 2017 Assembly elections, where the party targeted Majithia’s alleged role in drug smuggling. However, later Majithia sued Kejriwal for defamation after which the AAP chief apologised in an Amritsar court.

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