The latest case against ex-DGP Punjab Sumedh Singh Saini explained

Jupinderjit Singh
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, August 3

Punjab Vigilance Bureau booked ex-DGP Sumedh Singh Saini under the Prevention of Corruption Act and conspiracy along with six others, including PWD XEN Nimrat Deep Singh, over an alleged deal involving fake documents and questionable financial transactions regarding a house in sector 20 here.

As per the FIR lodged by Vigilance Additional Director Varinder Singh Brar which established that Saini paid a whopping Rs 2.5 lakh rent for the first floor of house no 3048, sector 20-D to an excise officer’s family besides paying Rs 6 crore 40 lakhs since October 2018.

Vigilance Bureau teams tried to arrest Saini on Monday night but could not succeed despite laying siege to the house for over four hours. Saini, known for his controversial methods in fighting terrorism in Punjab, is in trouble since his retirement in 2018. Mohali police had booked him last year for the alleged disappearance and murder of one Balwant Singh Multani. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Punjab police is also examining his role in the opening of fire at protesters in Behbal Kalan and Kotkapura in 2015 when he was the DGP.

The FIR said the Vigilance Bureau found these financial transactions during the inquiry against Nimrat Deep Singh, Executive Engineer, Public Works Department (PWD). Other persons named in the FIR include Nimrat’s father Surinderjit Singh Jaspal, Ajay Kaushal, Parduman Singh, Paramjit Singh and Amit Singla.

The FIR further states that he and his family members owned 35 properties besides possessing over Rs 20 crores in various banks/ FDRs and foreign currency. The FIRs say a vigilance inquiry found these possessions were beyond known sources of income of Nirmat Deep. One of the properties mentioned was House No 3048, in sector 20 D. Ex-DGP Sumedh Singh Saini was shown in records as the tenant on the first floor of the two-storey house.

It said Surinderjit Singh Jaspal bought the sector 20 house for rs 6.40 cr in September 2017. The house owner had earlier bought it for Rs 7.85 crore in an e-Auction by the State Bank of India in 2014. The FIR noted the house was sold at Rs 1.45 cr less than its price to Surinderjit, who later showed that he spent rs 1.50 cr on the renovation of the house. Saini took one floor of the house on rent of Rs 2.5 lakh per month in October 2018. However, he paid via bank transaction rs 45 lakh advance to the owner though his rent for the 11 months as per rent agreement was Rs 27.5 lakhs only. Later, a bank transaction showed Saini paid rs 6.40 crores in different directions to the owner.

An unregistered sale/purchase agreement between Saini and the owner in September 2019 claims they agreed to sell the house to Saini. The FIR states this document was illegal and back-dated.

Vigilance officials remain tight-lipped about the case. DGP-cum-Director Vigilance B K Uppal did not respond to calls.

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