Booked for graft, Ferozepur DSP held

Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Deepak Hilori said late Monday evening, Surinder Bansal was apprehended as he failed to cooperate with the police as instructed in a notice issued to him

Ferozepur deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Surinder Bansal, facing corruption charges, was arrested by the police for not cooperating with the police on Monday evening.

Booked for graft, Ferozepur DSP held

Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Deepak Hilori said late Monday evening, Surinder Bansal was apprehended as he failed to cooperate with the police as instructed in a notice issued to him. “He will be presented before a court on Tuesday and further probe is on,” added the SSP.

“Production warrant of Bansal’s agent Gurmej will also be taken on Tuesday to further unearth the nexus,” revealed official sources.

Bansal, along with another individual (private), was charged under sections 7 and 7A of the Prevention of Corruption Act. These sections stipulate that anyone attempting to induce a public servant through corrupt means or personal influence, resulting in improper or dishonest performance or non-performance of public duties, could face imprisonment ranging from three to seven years, along with a fine.

The charges were framed following a complaint filed by Ferozepur superintendent of police (investigation) Randhir Kumar. He alleged that credible information had been received, pointing to Surinder Bansal’s involvement in corrupt practices through one Gurmej Singh of Kothi Rai Sahib village, acting as an intermediary.

Initially, the police had taken Bansal into custody for questioning, but released him and impounded his mobile for further investigation.

Meanwhile on Thursday, a notice under Section 41-A of the CrPC (Section 41A says that in all cases punishable with imprisonment up to seven years, “the police officer may, instead of arresting the person concerned, issue to him a notice of appearance) was issued to Bansal, requiring him to appear before the investigating officer within seven days.

According to Randhir, the DSP allegedly cleared Gurmej Singh of charges related to forgery and cheating in a case registered on May 10, 2022, under various sections of the IPC. Accusing Gurmej of significant corruption in collusion with the DSP, Randhir revealed that Gurmej accepted ₹15,000 via UPI from a resident, Tarzen Sharma, on the pretext of assisting him in a police case. On failing to do so, Gurmej failed to refund the amount, leading Tarzen to record a mobile conversation and submit it to the police.

The complaint further detailed that reliable sources indicated Gurmej, in collaboration with Surinder, illicitly obtained funds, transferring ₹5 lakh to an account linked with Surinder Bansal’s name and ₹3 lakh to the account of Lalan Kumar, his another close associate. Meanwhile, a police team, armed with a search warrant, conducted searches at Surinder’s local official residence and his assets in Ludhiana. Gurmej, arrested in another case on Sunday, is currently in judicial custody.

Notably, on September 7, Bansal in a letter to the local SSP, claimed to have received information about certain police personnel allegedly collaborating with the drug mafia and engaging in the drug trade. An investigation into the matter was ordered by the Ferozepur SSP, but the report is still pending.