Samra ‘just warming up’, now names SSP

He alleged today that SSP Kumar was operating behind the scenes in the racket by lodging false cases against him so that pressure was exerted on him to pay JMIC S.S. Bhardwaj and Sessions Judge R.M. Gupta. ‘‘The process,’’ said Samra, ‘‘had begun ever since SSP Kumar took over in February this year. SHO Kartarpur Rajinder Kumar first approached me in March, asking for Rs 2 lakh on the SSP’s behalf. I refused, and then my harassment began,’’ Samra says. ‘‘Four cases were lodged against me by SSP Kumar in April besides declaring me a history-sheeter. The circumstances of the cases clearly show the nexus,’’ he said.

‘‘The first case was lodged on April 3 in which I got bail on April 15. This case was for my accepting money from patients and then not administering the required treatment. On April 16, a day after I was out, two similar cases were lodged against me. On April 20, another case followed. In all cases, the complainants were ‘made up’ as they never featured on my hospital records. On this, I approached JMIC S.S. Bhardwaj who knew me since his posting in Jalandhar in 1998. He offered to help me as a friend and get me bail in these cases with Judge R.M. Gupta’s help. No money was demanded then and I filed bail applications as per Bhardwaj’s instructions,’’ the CBI complainant says.

‘‘Gupta granted me a stay on arrest in the two April 16 cases. A further notice to the police to give me three days’ notice before arresting me was also served. The police lodged no further case against me in these days. On April 27, I got a call from Bhardwaj on my mobile — with a demand for Rs 11 lakh on Gupta’s behalf to get me bail in the April 20 case. I refused. Bhardwaj called me again on my mobile on April 28 night and the next morning but my reply was the same. I, however, recorded the conversations — the tapes of which are with the CBI,’’ Samra says.

Samra says that he had to pay the price for refusing to pay the bribe.

‘‘On April 29, R.M. Gupta cancelled all my bail applications. Cases of this nature are generally marked by a Sessions Judge to the Additional Sessions Judge but Gupta chose otherwise.

The next day, SSP Kumar lodged another case against me. It’s then that the police-judiciary nexus was clear to me. I told Bhardwaj to wait till May 7 but didn’t pay then too.

On May 8, SSP Kumar lodged yet another case against me. Finally on May 9, I approached the CBI who laid a trap and Bhardwaj was arrested red-handed while accepting the first installment of Rs 7 lakh from me on May 10 night.

Gupta had already granted me conditional bail the same morning after I had agreed to pay in the evening,’’ he adds.