E-Paper
Mohali cop booked for graft denied bail
The cop was booked by the Vigilance Bureau in September 2022 for demanding a bribe of ₹60,000 from a resident for releasing his motorcycle
The Punjab and Haryana high court has dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of a Mohali police assistant sub-inspector (ASI) who was booked by the Vigilance Bureau for demanding a bribe of ₹60,000 from a resident for releasing his motorcycle.
The high court bench of justice Gurvinder Singh Gill observed that the “clinching evidence” in the case was the audio recording of the conversation between Raghvir Singh, the complainant’s friend, and accused ASI Som Nath, which clearly reflected negotiations regarding the bribe amount.
The bureau had booked the cop on September 13, 2022, under the Prevention of Corruption Act, on the complaint of Balvir Singh, who had approached the anti-corruption helpline of Punjab and told that he had a minor dispute with the said policeman.
After that, the ASI confiscated his motorcycle and allegedly demanded ₹60,000 to release it. The audio recording of this conversation was submitted by the complainant.
The cop had approached the high court on October 18, 2022, claiming false implication and that the complainant as well as his friend themselves had a chequered record.
The bureau, on the other hand, had submitted that apart from the specific allegations levelled by the complainant, the audio recording also substantiated the allegation and as such, no special case for grant of anticipatory bail was made out.
