Former Punjab DGP moves HC for pre-arrest bail in corruption case; decision reserved

LE Correspondent

Chandigarh, August 12, 2021: Former Punjab DGP Sumedh Singh Saini has moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court challenging a Mohali court’s decision to reject his anticipatory bail application in a corruption case.

On August 2, Punjab’s Vigilance Bureau had registered a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act and on charges of criminal conspiracy against the former DGP along with six others, including PWD executive engineer Nimratdeep Singh and his father Surinderjit Singh Jaspal.

The agency alleged that Saini acquired a house in sector 20, Chandigarh, that was owned by the PWD engineer’s father, in a fraudulent deal with fake documents and questionable financial transactions. The trial court had termed the allegations against him “gravest” in nature warranting his custodial interrogation.

The agency submitted before the HC that the case was registered after a detailed inquiry was conducted by the Vigilance Bureau on the Joint Director’s complaint and was based on certain documents. Saini has all along been claiming false implication in the case.

The DGP’s plea was taken up by the bench of Justice Avneesh Jhingan on Wednesday. After hearing arguments from the state as well as his lawyers, the bench reserved the verdict.