SIT indicts DSP, SI for tainted probe into govt land grab case in Karnal

This is the sixth SIT constituted to probe the scam after the High Court found that the case “apparently has political overtones” and the police were trying to shield the culprits. Other members of the SIT include Inspector General of Police (state crime branch, Gurugram) Saurabh Singh, Superintendent of Police (state crime branch, Madhuban) Manisha Choudhary.

Agrawal informed the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday that all the investigating officers of previous SITs have joined the probe. After analysis, it has come out that “role of two police officers namely DSP Raj Kumar and P/SI Ravi Kant were not proper and there was lapse on their part in conducting the investigation in the said case,” he told the court.

The SIT has also received “some representations from the previously arrested persons stating therein that they have been falsely arrested by the previous SIT without considering the proper facts of the case” and those representations are being analysed by the present SIT impartially.

Meanwhile, the SIT on December 31 arrested Jai Singh and Rajinder Pal Singh, the then Gram Sachiv.
Agrawal submitted that the fraudulent allocation of plots is confined to district Karnal only and all other Deputy Commissioners where Model Village Scheme was implemented have submitted that no such irregularities were committed in their districts.

On this, Justice Fateh Deep Singh ordered, “it is transpired that the scheme popularly known as ‘Model Village Scheme’ industrial plots were to be auctioned in the five districts of Haryana. Learned State counsel is directed to file details of this scheme and the names of the places where they were located along with stand of the state, if any such allotment to these plots officially made as per the rules or not as well as if such scheme was lodged in any other district of the state and if so with full particulars as well.”

Agrawal also informed that the present SIT found shortcomings in the previous investigation and has taken specimen handwriting samples and signatures from arrested accused namely, Karam Singh Numbardar, the then sarpanch of Arjheri village Ishwari Devi, retired patwari of the village Dalel Singh which have been sent to Forensic Science Laboratory at Madhuban.
It was on the basis of a complaint made by Karnal resident Kulwant Singh on February 8, 2013, to SP Karnal that the fraud came to light but the FIR was registered after over an year on June 3, 2014, against a resident of Peer Sadan Karnal, Ram Parshad, his family members and relatives.

The complainant had submitted that the entire gang, who are relatives, in connivance with government officials is getting the government plots transferred on their names and after selling them have committed cheating of crores of rupees.

The case will come up for hearing on February 1.