Probe finds two cops guilty of harassment

PATIALA, April 20: In a recent enquiry conducted by the Assistant Commissioner into a case pertaining to the alleged harassment and torture ...

PATIALA, April 20: In a recent enquiry conducted by the Assistant Commissioner into a case pertaining to the alleged harassment and torture of four residents of Chandigarh by some police personnel, the enquiry officer has found two officials to be guilty.

According to sources those held guilty are SI Girdhara Singh and Balhit Singh a policeman. The enquiry report was handed over to the district magistrate late last month, who in turn marked it to the SSP Patiala, to take relevant action against the two.

The two have been held guilty of harassing and torturing Sanjiv Sharma, a Chandigarh-based free lance journalist, his father, Chander Muni Lal, his friend Ranjiv Thakur, who is in the business of selling cars in Chandigarh and an advocate, Ajit Singh.

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The incident goes back to September 21, 1996 when the four had come to the Crime Against Women Cell here in connection with a complaint lodged against Sanjiv by his wife Renu Sharma. However, while they were going back they were intercepted at Bahadurgarh by another policeman Harnek Singh (No 913) who told them that he had been asked to apprehend them and bring them back to the CAW Cell. The four were brought there and given a thrashing and allegedly humiliated. The advocate was told to flee from the spot and a case under sections 107/51 of the Cr PC was registered against them. This was followed by a legal battle for the next seven months and the matter was finally sorted out.

The alleged torture and harassment was taken up by the complainants in the high court which issued a directive to the district magistrate to look into the matter through an order issued on February 2, 1997. Those against whom the enquiry was directed included Girdhara Singh, Baljit Singh, Harnek Singh, Renu Sharma, her father Nand Kumar and Rakesh Kumar.

The district magistrate had further marked the enquiry to the Assistant Commissioner (grievances) who submitted the report late last month. The district magistrate in his letter No 697, dated March 31 has asked the SSP, Patiala to take relevant action against Girdhara Singh and Baljit Singh under sections 16/38 of the Punjab Police Rules. The complainants’s father Chander Muni Lal has now urged the authorities to take action against other persons including Harnek Singh. DRUG PEDdlers HELD: Personnel of the CIA staff of the Nabha Police have arrested two persons and recovered 4 kg of opium and ten bags of poppy from them.

SP (Detective) Kewal Kumar said those arrested are Narinder Singh and Sohan Lal. The latter was being assisted by a woman.

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