A Ludhiana court has issued non-bailable warrants against five policemen, including a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), for allegedly framing a man in a false drug recovery case and arresting him. While issuing the order Friday, the court of additional sessions judge Amar Paul also acquitted Baljit Singh, a resident of Sidhwan Bet, who was booked by Ludhiana rural police in 2018. Police had claimed recovery of 260 grams of intoxicant powder from him. An FIR was registered against him at Jagraon Sadar police station on July 5, 2018 under the sections 21, 22, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act. Observing that Baljit Singh was “falsely implicated” in the case by Ludhiana rural police, the court held the five policeman guilty under the section 58 (punishment for vexatious entry, search, seizure or arrest) of the NDPS Act and issued non-bailable warrants against then DSP Kanwarpal Singh, ASI Gurmeet Singh (investigating officer and complainant in the case), ASI Ramji Dass (then officiating SHO Jagraon Sadar police station), ASI Manjinder Singh (recovery witness) and a head constable. “These policemen have been held guilty of fabricating facts and details of the case. The court has observed that they planted the recovery of 260 grams of tramadol hydrochloride from Baljit Singh. Earlier they said that ‘intoxicant powder’ was recovered from him and later named it as tramadol hydrochloride. The court, while issuing non-bailable warrants against these policemen, has ordered that they be produced before the court on or before January 31,” said Sukhchain Singh Kanda, counsel for Baljit Singh. “The court has also acquitted Baljit Singh of all the charges,” he added. He further said that in the FIR, Ludhiana rural police had stated that they received “secret information” that Baljit might be carrying drugs such as heroin and was a habitual offender of supplying drugs and weapons to his clients. They later added that based on secret information they raided Baljit’s residence and could not find him there and then the next day - on July 6, 2018 - they arrested him near village Sherpur Kalan and recovered 260 grams intoxicant powder from him. “However, the story concocted by the police was exposed as they failed to complete some documents, which had to be signed by the arrested person at the time of arrest. Later ASI Gurmeet Singh, the complainant and investigating officer in the case, went to Ludhiana Central Jail on July 10 to get documents signed from Baljit. It was recorded in CCTV camera installed there. Baljit refused to sign the documents. Then Baljit’s wife filed complaint in the court saying that police had picked up her husband from their home and no recovery was made then,” said Kanda. The court has observed, “It is a fit case to attract section 58(1)(a) and (c) of the NDPS Act. The officials who have played an active role in hatching the conspiracy must feel the noose that they had so skillfully created and they must taste the potion, which they had so thoughtfully prepared for falsely implicating an innocent person..”
