Graft case: Brother of former Chandigarh deputy mayor in CBI net, inspector shunted out
CBI catches BJP leader’s brother, scrap dealer red-handed accepting ₹3 lakh as bribe; PCR constable on the run
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday arrested the brother of a former Chandigarh deputy mayor, along with a scrap dealer, in a ₹3-lakh graft case, while hunt is on for a constable of the Chandigarh Police.
The role of inspector HS Sekhon, in-charge of operation cell, Chandigarh Police, is also under scanner. Appointed to the post in May this year, he has been transferred to the police lines in Sector 26, pending probe.
The absconding constable is Pawan, who is deployed in the police control room (PCR) wing.
Along with Pawan, Manish Dubey, alias Bablu, brother of BJP leader and former deputy mayor Anil Dubey, and Anil Kumar, alias Kuki, a scrap dealer, have been booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act and Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Manish is a resident of Sector 32-A, Chandigarh, and Kuki of Sector 16, Panchkula.
The duo was caught red-handed from Industrial Area while accepting a bribe of ₹3 lakh from the complainant, while Pawan managed to flee. Searches were also conducted at the residences of all accused until Tuesday.
The complainant, Deepak of Ram Darbar, had approached CBI, alleging that constable Pawan and inspector HS Sekhon had sought ₹7 lakh from him not to nominate him in an extortion case, wherein the operation cell had recently arrested five men, including gangster Deepu Banur, a close associate of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi.
CBI has issued notices to Sekhon and Pawan to join the probe. Notably, the constable and Sekhon have previously worked together in the crime cell. His involvement in the graft case, even after being moved to the PCR wing, has raised questions.
A special CBI court sent Manish and Kuki to three-day police custody on Tuesday.
The senior public prosecutor, Narender Singh, had sought four-day remand, arguing that Pawan was still absconding and Sekhon had not joined investigation. “Accused have been interrogated but have not disclosed much. They need to be confronted among themselves to unearth the larger conspiracy and ascertain the role of other government/private persons,” he contended.
Sought bribe not to name complainant in extortion case
In his complaint to CBI, Deepak, who runs a chicken shop in Ram Darbar, alleged that on July 22, some cops came to his shop and told him that inspector HS Sekhon had called him to the operation cell in Sector 26.
On accompanying the cops, Deepak met constable Pawan and Sekhon, who questioned him about his association with Mani Topi, one of the accused arrested in the extortion case.
As Deepak revealed that Mani was his childhood friend, Pawan and Sekhon told him that they had recovered a chat that proved his criminal involvement with Mani. Offering to exclude his name from the FIR, the two cops demanded a bribe of ₹7 lakh.
Deepak alleged he was detained in the operation cell overnight, before being let go on July 23, with a warning to pay ₹5 lakh soon.
On July 27, he got a call from Manish, who claimed that his friend Kuki was friends with Sekhon and Pawan, and will save him from getting named in the extortion case.
Manish and Kuki took him to the operation cell on July 29, where Pawan again threatened him in front of Sekhon to pay ₹5 lakh or be jailed, Deepak alleged.
He claimed that Manish repeatedly pressured him over WhatsApp calls to pay ₹5 lakh to the cops, following which he approached CBI on July 29.
After verification of the complaint, CBI laid a trap on July 31 and arrested Manish and Kuki while accepting ₹3 lakh on behalf of Pawan.
