CBI officer shadowed graft accused to build watertight case

IO was introduced to accused Devinder Singh

The investigating officer was introduced to Devinder Singh,official of Registrar,Firms and Societies,Punjab by the complainant,Manpreet Singh. The complainant had introduced the investigating officer as Kuljeet Singh,executive member of the mechanic association.

A recorder was used to tape the conversation between the accused and the complainant.

Right from the beginning,the investigating officer was with Manpreet Singh and two other witnesses who had met Devinder Singh to negotiate a deal. After having received a complaint from Manpreet Singh on April 29,the investigating officer had arranged a recorder to tape the conversation between the complainant and the accused Devinder Singh.

The investigating officer has given an eye witness account of the trap. “I arranged a digital voice recorder cum walkman of Sony bearing serial number 6265293 and ensured that it was an empty one. Thereafter,I along with complainant Manpreet Singh and Satpal Singh Sodhi left the CBI office in the car of the complainant for Sector 17 Chandigarh at about 5 pm. Complainant Manpreet Singh made a call from his mobile phone (09888585371) to Devinder Singh (09814005872) and enquired about the place of meeting” reads the investigation report placed on record by the investigating officer.

Very close to Khurana: Devinder claimed

Devinder,as per recording available with CBI,said that he (Devinder) has good relationship with Khurana. Devinder reiterated that the money was meant for “Manoranjan Kalia which was to be paid to him through Raj Khurana”.

After Manpreet requested Devinder Singh that an amount of Rs 1.5 crore cannot be arranged within a day,Devinder Singh said that an amount of 15 lakh rupees shall be paid in cash and the remaining amount in cheques.

Accused kept changing meeting points

On April 29,Devinder then asked Manpreet to come to a restaurant cum bar (Spirit) in Sector 17. However,after the two entered the restaurant,Devinder Singh called up Manpreet to come to a showroom adjacent to the bar. Devinder Singh,the complainant and the investigating officer then sat in the Porsche SUV belonging to Devinder Singh. After the accused (Devinder) joined them in his vehicle,he told them that Manmohan Singh,who had complained against the association,has demanded that the governing body of the association should be changed.

In the conversation recorded by the CBI officer,Devinder Singh allegedly said that the “Minister has demanded Rs 2 crore but he (Devinder) would make a request and reduce the demand to 1.5 crore”.

On April 30,when the complainant expressed difficulty in arranging the said amount. The IO along with the complainant again contacted Devinder Singh who said that he was in Sector 17 district Courts. After reaching the District Courts,the IO and complainant sat in the vehicle of Devinder Singh outside Shivalik View,Sector 17,Chandigarh.