Official records and court filings | From kidnapping to bribes: Over 20 UT cops booked in 7 yrs
Officers are allowed to present their case, and if found guilty after due process, strict action is taken: Chandigarh Police officer
Several FIRs were registered following trap operations, judicial directions and, in notable instances, intervention by the Supreme Court. From accepting bribes of a few thousand rupees to allegations of kidnapping and accumulating disproportionate assets, at least 20 serving and retired personnel of the Chandigarh Police, ranging from constables to inspectors, have been booked in criminal or corruption cases over the past seven years, official records and court filings show.
The cases, largely investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), encompass allegations of bribery, extortion, abuse of official position, disproportionate assets (DA) and kidnapping.
Several FIRs were registered following trap operations, judicial directions and, in notable instances, intervention by the Supreme Court. While some accused officers have since retired, others were serving at key police stations or specialised units when the alleged offences occurred.
A few cases are as follows:
Graft and bribery charges
Among the cases investigated by the CBI, Sub-Inspectors Akhtar Hussain and Krishan Kumar were arrested in 2023 after being accused of seeking a Rs 5 lakh bribe from a complainant in a civil dispute, in which allegations led to departmental action soon after the matter came to light.
Similarly, Constable Pawan Kumar, then deployed with the public control room, was booked in 2023 after a trap allegedly uncovered his role in accepting a Rs 3 lakh bribe alongside two civilians. The case received considerable attention given the involvement of a local political figure’s relative, and remains under investigation.
Kidnapping and extortion cases
Beyond corruption, criminal charges have extended to serious offences such as kidnapping and extortion.
The most prominent among these is a 2022 abduction case of a Chandigarh dentist, in which the CBI registered an FIR in February 2025 against seven police personnel, including then Crime Branch Inspector Harinder Sekhon, alleging that the doctor was wrongfully confined to prevent his court appearance. This complaint was filed following a directive from the Supreme Court for a CBI preliminary probe into the alleged police conduct.
In a separate incident, Sub-Inspector Naveen Phogat was dismissed from service after being booked in 2023 for allegedly kidnapping a Bathinda-based businessman and extorting Rs 1.01 crore.
DA case
Some allegations have extended to financial irregularities. Inspector Harinder Sekhon and his wife, Paramjit Kaur, also a police inspector, were investigated by the CBI for possessing assets disproportionate to declared income, based on a probe into their income and expenditures over four years.
Criminal conspiracy case
In another case, the Crime Branch of the Chandigarh Police in March 2025 arrested three personnel of the District Crime Cell — Inspector Jasminder Singh, Head Constable Satish Kumar and Senior Constable Samunder — on charges of criminal conspiracy. The trio was booked under Section 61 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for allegedly harbouring two accused wanted by the Uttar Pradesh Police in a Rs 5.26 crore ATM fraud case, and showing their arrest in an Arms Act case in Chandigarh to shield them from action by the UP Police.
A senior officer of the Chandigarh Police said, “Whenever a case is registered by the CBI or any criminal case is lodged against a member of the force, a parallel departmental inquiry is initiated. Officers concerned are given an opportunity to present their case. If found guilty after due process, strict action is taken in accordance with rules.”
“The range of penalties,” the officer added, “includes demotion in rank, denial of awards and promotions, and even dismissal from service, depending on the gravity of the misconduct.”
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