Drugs case: Punjab and Haryana high court seeks Punjab’s reply on Raj Jit’s plea

The bench of justice Gurvinder Singh Gill has sought response by December 11; Raj Jit, 53, was dismissed from service in April on “drug charges — colluding with smugglers and framing innocent persons in false cases and running an extortion racket along with another cop, Inderjit Singh

The high court has sought response from Punjab government on a plea by sacked assistant inspector general (AIG) Raj Jit Singh Hundal, an accused in a drug smuggling case, challenging his dismissal.

In his plea, Raj Jit has challenged April 17 order of dismissing him as AIG Punjab.

The bench of justice Gurvinder Singh Gill has sought response by December 11.

Raj Jit, 53, was dismissed from service in April on “drug charges — colluding with smugglers and framing innocent persons in false cases and running an extortion racket along with another cop, Inderjit Singh”.

He is also facing a vigilance bureau probe into assets allegedly amassed by him by selling narcotics and under Prevention of Corruption Act.

The high court recently denied him the anticipatory bail plea in a drugs case of June 12, 2017, in which he has been named as an accused following opening of sealed cover reports this year on role of cops in drugs cases, lying sealed cover in high court since 2018.

In his plea, Raj Jit has challenged April 17 order of dismissing him as AIG Punjab.

The plea claims order of dismissal was issued even without inquiry and a chargesheet as per punishment and appeal rules of 1970.

The petitioner was not given an opportunity of hearing and was dismissed “for gaining public propaganda and political mileage”.

The public announcement came on a social media handle of the chief minister, and then the dismissal order was passed, which showed that he had been “made a scapegoat just to get political mileage,” the plea claims.