Dismissed Punjab Police assistant inspector general (AIG) Raj Jit Singh Hundal, who has been absconding since April 2023 in a case linked to allegations of a police-drug trafficker nexus, has offered to surrender before the Supreme Court.
The development came during the hearing of Raj Jit’s special leave petition, through which he has challenged a July 20 order of the Punjab and Haryana high court. He has also sought transfer of the case registered against him from the Punjab Police to another investigating agency, alleging that he would not receive a fair investigation from the state police.
According to the Supreme Court’s September 10 order, a bench comprising justices MM Sundresh and Augustine George Masih was informed by senior counsel appearing for Raj Jit that the petitioner was willing to surrender.
The bench adjourned the matter and directed him to surrender in the meantime. The matter has now been listed for October 1. The court also granted him liberty to file an appropriate application after surrender.
Senior advocate Amit Rawal, representing Raj Jit, confirmed the development.
{{/usCountry}}Senior advocate Amit Rawal, representing Raj Jit, confirmed the development.
{{/usCountry}}Raj Jit has been facing criminal proceedings in a case arising from allegations concerning his alleged association with dismissed Punjab Police inspector Inderjit Singh and the handling of drug-related cases during their postings in the state.
Named co-accused in 2018 FIR
Raj Jit was named as a co-accused in an FIR registered by the special task force (STF) on June 12, 2018, against dismissed inspector Inderjit Singh.
The FIR was registered under Sections 120-B, 218 and 384 of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 59 and 39 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
Dismissed from service in 2023
The Punjab government dismissed Raj Jit from service in April 2023 following proceedings based on the findings of three SITs constituted in compliance with orders of the high court.
The dismissal order alleged that Raj Jit, while serving as Tarn Taran senior superintendent of police, had patronised Inderjit, who was subsequently dismissed from the police force.
According to the government order, the SIT reports concluded that there was alleged complicity between Raj Jit and Inderjit and alleged collusion with drug smugglers.
The orders said during the tenure of Raj Jit Singh as Tarn Taran SSP and Inderjit Singh as CIA in-charge, more than 50 samples in NDPS cases failed which shows that the two did not leave any stone unturned to hijack the government machinery to fulfil their vested interests.
“Raj Jit Singh abused his official position to shield the drug peddlers/ smugglers from the clutches of law, implicated innocent persons in false drug cases and also managed to scuttle the investigations in the FIRs registered against Inderjit Singh,” the orders said.
Quoting SIT findings about transfer of Inderjit, firstly to Taran Taran and thereafter to Hoshiarpur, on recommendation of Raj Jit and his act of writing DO (demi official/recommendation) letters in former’s favour despite criminal cases and departmental inquiries pending against the tainted inspector, the dismissal orders state that Raj Jit was well aware of the technicalities involved in the cases registered under the NDPS Act and together with Inderjit used these as tools to help drug peddlers/smugglers escape the stringent punishment and secure bail/acquittal.
“The retention of such an official in the police department, which is an integral part of the justice delivery system and is also responsible for protecting the society and the nation, will not be desirable,” the orders issued on the recommendation of chief minister Bhagwant Mann revealed.