E-Paper
2015 drugs case: Error in filing of chargesheet lands former Ludhiana cop in soup
A case of forgery was registered against the retired Ludhiana cop; had allegedly tried to correct an error in the chargesheet without court’s permission
A minor mistake in the filing of a chargesheet in a seven-year-old drugs case has cost the former station house officer (SHO) of Machhiwara police station dearly as an FIR was lodged against him on Friday on the order of a local court.
A case has been registered at Machhiwara police station under Sections 465 (forgery), 466 (forgery for purpose of cheating) and 471 (using as genuine a forged document or electronic record) of Indian Penal Code against former inspector Jaswinder Singh, who has been retired for the past three years.
The court also acquitted all three accused in the 2015 case, including Chhindarpal Singh alias Chhinda, Gurnam Singh and Deepa Singh, all resident of Machhiwara.
It was mentioned in the FIR that the Machhiwara police had arrested the trio on May 25, 2015, after 52-kg poppy husk was found in their truck. However, while filing the chargesheet, the registration number of their truck was mentioned as “PB23F 6141”, while it was actually “PB23F 6142”.
When the police realised their mistake, they allegedly tempered with the chargesheet and rectified the error, without informing senior officials or seeking the court’s permission.
Sub-inspector Gurpartap Singh, who is investigating the case, said Jaswinder will be arrested soon.
