E-Paper
Non-appearance in drug case: Moga court issues non-bailable warrants against 3 ‘absconding’ cops
The Moga additional district and sessions judge has issued non-bailable warrants against three policemen who are allegedly absconding after the Punjab and Haryana
The Moga additional district and sessions judge has issued non-bailable warrants against three policemen who are allegedly absconding after the Punjab and Haryana high court recently ordered to arrest them for not appearing as prosecution witnesses in a drug seizure case.
The judge, Soni Kinra, has directed the police to keep head constable Kuldeep Singh, constables Sarwan Singh and Sukhdev Singh, all posted at the Dharamkot police station, in protective custody till their cross-examination is completed.
The three have not reported on duty since the high court order.
The next hearing in the trial court is on October 16.
Kuldeep and Sarwan had moved the high court after its order seeking anticipatory bail, but their plea was rejected.
Superintendent of police (SP) Rattan Singh Brar said, “They are absent from duty for many days. We are conducting raids to nab them. The trial court has also ordered to attach their salary.”
Kaka Singh, a resident of Mohala Angadpura in Moga, the accused in the case, had moved the HC after his bail was cancelled for not appearing for a hearing in the trial court. Kaka was arrested by police for allegedly carrying 260 gram intoxicant powder on April 2, 2016 and a case was registered against him under Section 22 of the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act at Kot Ise Khan police station.
Head constable Kuldeep was also part of the police team that arrested Kaka.
The challan was filed on September 28, 2016, and witnesses’ examination began in the trial court in January 2017. As per record, the cops had been skipping court proceedings since.
Earlier, Pawan Kumar, a constable who was entrusted with execution of summons issued by the trial court, was suspended by Moga SSP Amarjit Singh Bajwa for negligence of duty.
Also, the high court has summoned Kot Ise Khan station house officer (SHO) on the next date of hearing with details of officials entrusted with execution of warrants issued by the trial court against the witnesses.
