E-Paper
Chandigarh cop convicted in 2015 bribe case
The sub-inspector was accused of taking ₹5,000 bribe in lieu of not taking action against a kiryana store owner booked under the Essential Commodities Act in Chandigarh; the quantum of sentence will be pronounced on Wednesday.
A sub-inspector posted at the Sector 31 police station in 2015 has been convicted for accepting a bribe of ₹5,000. The quantum of sentence will be pronounced on Wednesday.
The case was registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on April 7, 2015, on the basis of a complaint by Balkar Singh Saini of Faidan village, who ran a government fair price shop. In 2014, a case was registered against Saini under Section 7 of the Essential Commodities Act on the basis of a complaint by food inspector Basheshar Singh, alleging that the former used distribute the foodgrains among the beneficiaries at inflated rates. It was alleged that Saini was supposed to charge ₹2 per kilo for wheat but was selling it at ₹7 per kilo.
Sub-inspector Arvind Kumar of Sector 31 police station and a resident of Sector 20 was the investigating officer in this case. It was alleged that he called Saini multiple times, asking for illegal gratification to the tune of ₹20,000 in lieu of not taking action against him. He had also threatened the complainant that if he doesn’t give the bribe, he will ensure that he gets a strict punishment.
Saini was able to bring down the amount to ₹10,000 and agreed to pay it in two installments of ₹5,000 each and then complained to the CBI. A trap was laid on April 7, 2015. He took the bribe at the police station itself and was arrested from there by the CBI sleuths.
As per investigation the cop had submitted a chargesheet under Section 7 of the Essential Commodities Act against the complainant for filing it in court. The challan was filed in court under the signature of the then station house officer of the Sector 31 police station, Bhupinder Singh, and is still pending trial.
