Gurgaon former top cop files defamation suit against judge

The matter was adjourned by the court and listed for hearing on November 21.

The order stated, “Suit seeking compensation and damages from and against the defendant and also to restrain the defendants from maligning and defaming the plaintiff in any manner has been received. It be checked and registered. Now, matter stands adjourned for 21.11.2024 for consideration on the point of maintainability of the suit.”

Rao’s counsel Parvesh Yadav said that Justice Amit Sahrawat, in a bail application order, had commented about the then commissioner. “The senior officer had challenged the order in the HC and the court had ordered the removal of the remarks from the order. But after the sessions court order went public, it affected the officer’s image, prompting him to file a suit,” he said.

The case dates back to August 2021 when gangster Vikas Lagarpuriya’s men broke into the flat belonging to a private company and decamped with crores of rupees.

A key accused in the heist, Dr Suchender Jain Nawal, in his statement, had alleged that he paid a bribe to then Gurgaon Police DCP (Crime) Dheeraj Setia to cover up the case.

As per the order that denied bail to Setia, the judge had said, “…whether the whole illegal exercise had been done by the petitioner with the concurrence of the then commissioner of police, Gurugram… (will) also not be ascertained unless the petitioner is questioned in custody.”

The order had added that gangsters were visiting the office of DCP (Crime) with bags containing Rs 2.5 crore and then commissioner Rao, having an adjacent office, was unaware of the same.

“When the petitioner was having a bag of Rs 2.5 crore on 4.10.2021 in his chamber lying besides commissioner’s office, what then commissioner of police Gurugram was doing… and for what purpose the commissioner had been posted there by the government,” the order stated. It had also questioned Rao’s order handing over Setia the additional charge of DCP (Crime).