A special CBI court on Tuesday remanded Chandigarh Police inspector Suresh Kumar, in-charge of Bapu Dham police post, and assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Bhagat Ram to 14-day judicial custody in a ₹2.5 lakh bribery case.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) alleged that the two policemen were caught red-handed during a trap laid on Monday while allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of ₹2.50 lakh from complainant Sukhjit Singh in lieu of registering an FIR.
According to the CBI, Sukhjit Singh, a resident of Bapu Dham Colony, had approached the agency alleging that the police post in-charge had demanded ₹5 lakh to register an FIR in connection with a theft at his jewellery shop. Acting on the complaint, the CBI conducted verification, laid a trap outside the Bapu Dham police post in Sector 26 and allegedly caught the two officials while accepting ₹2.50 lakh.
In its remand application, the CBI alleged that the tainted money was recovered from the possession of ASI Bhagat Ram in the presence of independent witnesses. The agency alleged that conversations recorded during the verification and trap proceedings, coupled with the recovery of the tainted currency, prima facie substantiated the involvement of both accused in demanding and accepting illegal gratification. It also claimed that the two had entered into a criminal conspiracy to seek a bribe in lieu of registering the theft case.
Seeking judicial custody, the CBI told the court that the investigation was at an initial stage, key witnesses were yet to be examined, and there was a likelihood of the accused influencing witnesses or tampering with evidence if released.
{{/usCountry}}Seeking judicial custody, the CBI told the court that the investigation was at an initial stage, key witnesses were yet to be examined, and there was a likelihood of the accused influencing witnesses or tampering with evidence if released.
{{/usCountry}}During the hearing, counsel for inspector Suresh Kumar, Terminder Singh, filed three applications before the court. Besides seeking preservation of CCTV footage from outside the Bapu Dham police post under Section 94 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), the defence sought permission to retract a statement allegedly recorded during CBI custody. It also sought directions that a voice sample allegedly obtained without the accused’s consent should not be treated as evidence.
The special CBI court issued notices to the CBI on the three defence applications before remanding both accused to 14 days judicial custody.