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Six years on, VB books Punjab Police inspector for corruption
Was also suspended for delay in registering case in sensational Bheem Sain Tank murder case in Abohar
After an investigation lasting for six years, the Vigilance Bureau (VB) has booked a controversial Punjab Police inspector under the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act.
A first information report (FIR) was lodged against Harinder Singh Chameli, now abstaining from duty at Tarn Taran district, at the Ferozepur vigilance police station on July 12.
The VB probe stated that the accused cop amassed assets beyond his known sources of income from January 1, 2009, to December 31, 2014.
As per the calculations of the bureau, Chameli invested ₹1.09 crore, or 98% more than his earnings from various known sources, in the five-year window.
Chameli was a sub-inspector and was posted as the SHO at Arniwala in Fazilka district when a man had submitted a complaint in 2015 to the police with details of Chameli’s properties, vehicles etc. A probe was recommended against the cop on July 30, 2015.
As the investigation was delayed for six years, Chameli was promoted to the rank of inspector and stayed posted at various places.
VB’s deputy superintendent of police Gurinderjit Singh, who probed the case, said the investigation was first initiated by the Fazilka district police and it was later referred to the economic offenses wing (EOW) before the bureau was finally tasked with the investigation.
“We found that from 2009 to 20014, Chameli had an identified income of ₹1.11 crore, whereas he spent ₹2.2 crore on his own or in names of his family members. It was a clear case of corruption,” said the DSP.
VB sleuth said a team raided the accused’s residence at Green Avenue in Faridkot and his posting place in Tarn Taran district, but Chameli has gone underground. Tarn Taran district police authorities have been alerted and the accused will soon be arrested for further investigation, said the DSP.
Shady past
Chameli is alleged to have political clout and he is facing several departmental inquiries. He was suspended in December 2015 for dereliction of duty in connection with the gruesome murder of Bheem Sain Tank in Abohar.
In that sensational murder case, 24 persons, including the influential liquor trader and Akali leader Shiv Lal Doda, were awarded life imprisonment. Chameli, as then Bahavwala SHO, was charged for an alleged deliberate delay in registering the murder case against Tank’s attackers and ordering a rape case against him on the day of his murder.
Tarn Taran SSP Dhruman H Nimbale said Chameli was posted at police lines but he is missing since July 12.
“Chameli is facing three complaints of indiscipline and dereliction of duty in the district. His professional conduct remained questionable,” said the SSP.
