The Punjab Police on Tuesday constituted a three-member special investigation team (SIT) to inquire into the case registered against former director general of police (DGP) Sumedh Singh Saini in connection with disappearance of Balwant Singh Multani, a Chandigarh Industrial and Tourism Corporation (CITCO) employee, in 1991.
The SIT includes Mohali superintendent of police (SP-investigation) Harmandeep Singh Hans, deputy superintendent of police (DSP-investigation) Bikramjit Singh Brar and Rajiv Kumar, station house officer (SHO), Mataur, where the case was registered.
“The SIT will be issuing notice to the ex-DGP to join investigations so that he can be questioned in connection with the case. As per the court orders, he should join investigations within seven days,” said Kuldeep Singh Chahal, senior superintendent of police (SSP), Mohali.
The constitution of SIT comes a day after additional district and sessions judge Monika Goyal on Monday granted anticipatory bail to Saini and directed him to join investigations within seven days.
The police was also directed by the court to ensure social distancing norms and other precautions during his questioning.
Multani was allegedly picked up by two officers after a terrorist attack on Saini, then SSP, Chandigarh, in which four policemen in his security posse were killed. The police later claimed that Multani had escaped from the custody of Qadian police.
{{/usCountry}}Multani was allegedly picked up by two officers after a terrorist attack on Saini, then SSP, Chandigarh, in which four policemen in his security posse were killed. The police later claimed that Multani had escaped from the custody of Qadian police.
{{/usCountry}}A case was registered under Sections 364 (kidnapping or abduction in order to murder), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence), 344 (wrongful confinement), 330 (voluntarily causing hurt to exhort confession) and 120 (B) (criminal conspiracy) in Mohali on May 6 on the basis of a complaint filed by Multani’s brother Palwinder Singh Multani.
Former DSP Baldev Singh Saini, inspector Satvir Singh, sub-inspectors Har Sahai Sharma, Jagir Singh and Anoop Singh and ASI Kuldip Singh were also named in the case.
The cops are also preparing to record the statements of others named in the FIR.
Already, an eyewitness whose husband was Multani’s class mate had recorded her statement before the magistrate saying Multani was tortured in Saini’s presence.
Based on the eyewitness account that Multani had succumbed to torture meted out to him in Saini’s presence, the cops are preparing to question the ex-DGP as to how Multani’s body was disposed of.
Meanwhile, police officials said the prosecution is examining the court ruling to decide whether the state should challenge the granting of anticipatory bail to Saini or not.