E-Paper
HC dismisses bail plea of man accused of cheating in name of CM’s OSD
Allegations were that he took money from two persons to help them in securing release and settling drugs and sexual harassment cases
The Punjab and Haryana high court has dismissed a bail plea of a Sangrur man accused of cheating multiple persons in the name of officer on special duty (OSD), Sandeep Singh Sunny Brar, to the Punjab chief minister.
Two FIRs were registered against Abdul Gaffar on January 17 on allegations of cheating and Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. Allegations were that he took money from two persons to help them in securing release and settling drugs and sexual harassment cases.
The complainant, Mohammad Jahid, told police that Gaffar informed him that he could get his brother-in-law released from judicial custody in drugs seizure case for which the total expenditure of ₹15 lakh was estimated. He claimed to have good relations with OSD to CM and he took him to meet a person who introduced himself as the OSD and an assurance was given that “any work” could be done through him, the allegations recorded in petition says adding that the complainant paid him ₹9 lakh. However, as the work was not done, he requested to return the money, it adds. As Gaffar dilly dallied on returning money, the complainant went to meet the OSD, where he found that he was not the same person introduced as OSD by Gaffar, as per allegations in the plea. Brar advised the complainant to file a complaint, following which he approached the police. In the second case, Gaffar was accused of striking a deal with one Mohammed Abdul Rashid for ₹10.5 lakh for settling a case of sexual harassment against one of his relative.
Gaffar had argued in court that he had been falsely implicated in these cases and at best it can be termed as a civil dispute between them. To give bribe and accept the same are offences, but no action has been taken against the complainants. Therefore, the petitioner is entitled to concession of anticipatory bail, he had argued.
Police had opposed the bail stating that investigation is at the initial stage and that his custodial interrogation would be required to unearth the truth behind the entire episode and the modus operandi.
The bench while denying the bail observed this is not a case that a single person has made allegations of cheating against him, but two different FIRs by two different complainants have been lodged against him. In order to unearth the modus operandi and to catch the person who impersonated as OSD to the CM, his custodial interrogation is required, the bench added.
