Arrest retired Inspector too, demand Devinder8217;s kin

ROOPNAGAR, Sept 27: After the arrest of five police personnel in connection with the quot;custodial deathquot; of truck driver Devinder...

ROOPNAGAR, Sept 27: After the arrest of five police personnel in connection with the quot;custodial deathquot; of truck driver Devinder Singh on September 18, human rights organisations and the deceased8217;s relatives are now seeking the arrest of retired Inspector Sant Singh, who they say accompanied the police team quot;responsible for the excessesquot; to Devinder8217;s village.

Inquiries revealed that even 10 years after his retirement, 69-year-old Sant Singh continued to render services to the Police Department, especially in the area of terrorism. Known as quot;Babajiquot; in police circles, he had retired in 1988 and rejoined as a volunteer under the Special Police Officer category.

He was brought here in 1997 by an SSP with whom he had worked in the border districts during the days of militancy and both hail from Patiala district, it is learnt. In February this year, Sant Singh got himself relieved from the CIA staff where he reportedly looked after the interrogation of various militants. He also helped the police in maintaining records documenting the activities of militants, besides keeping himself up-to-date on the movement of fugitives, it is learnt.

Sources revealed that being a competent officer, the seniors trusted him and often sought his advice on security matters and secret operations. Sant Singh, it is learnt, also had independent sources and information cells that helped the police catch terrorists. However, a section of officers felt that the likes of Sant Singh rendered quot;unofficial help to conduct extra-judicial investigative exercises, to avoid litigationquot;.

Though Sant Singh resides at the Police Lines here, SSP Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said he had no official connection with the department. quot;He is not on our rolls,quot; the SSP said, but could not explain why Sant Singh was allowed to retain a quarter at the Police Lines. quot;He may vacate it eventually, as he is now discharged from service,quot; he said.

According to the relatives of the deceased, Sant Singh accompanied the police team that went to Devinder Singh8217;s Hassanpur village for the recovery of an assault rifle. When it could not be recovered even after digging the fields, Sant Singh, they said, remarked, quot;Our blood is boiling.quot;

Initially, the villages believed him to be a senior officer in civilian clothes but later learnt that he was a retired inspector.

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Sub-Inspector Malwinder Singh Malih, Anandpur Sahib SHO Didar Singh, two constables and an SPO are already in police custody in connection with the case. Since Didar Singh was arrested on the statement of the co-accused with Devinder Singh, recorded by the SP Detective, the villagers say Sant Singh should also be arrested since his name also finds a mention in the statement.

While SSP Bhullar did not rule out the possibility of his arrest, he said Sant Singh may have accompanied them quot;informally on the insistence of other police officialsquot;.

When contacted, Sant Singh pleaded that he had no role in the quot;custodial deathquot; and offered quot;to be hanged if the allegation was proved rightquot;. He admitted having rendered quot;unofficial services to the department without any considerationquot;. quot;I do not even have a house of my own,quot; he said.