Missing Rs 6.65cr: Bail plea of 2 absconding ASIs dismissed

PATIALA: A local court in Mohali on Thursday dismissed bail application of two assistant sub-inspectors (ASIs) of Punjab Police, wanted in the missing Rs 6.65 crore case. Court of additional district and sessions judge Monika Goyal also sent another ASI, who was arrested in the case on Wednesday, to police remand.
ASIs Joginder Singh and Rajpreet Singh have reportedly gone underground after they were named in the FIR registered by Mohali police on the recommendation of the special investigation team (SIT) looking into the allegations of Father Anthony Madasserry. They had moved the court last Friday seeking bail on grounds that there was no official evidence to show that they were part of the police team that had raided the priest’s house at Pratappura in Jalandhar on March 29.
Khanna police, which had raided the priest’s house, had handed over Rs 9.66 crore of the seized money to the income tax department. However, the priest had accused the cops of embezzling Rs 6.65 crore from the business proceeds they had recovered from his house.
The SIT had claimed that it had evidence and intelligence inputs pointing at the involvement of two cops in the raid. But the two ASIs, through their counsel B S Bhullar, had pleaded that they had never been transferred to Khanna. Also, they pleaded that while the priest, in his complaint, had claimed that around 30 men dressed in police uniform had raided his house, the case was registered only against two ASIs and a police informer, which indicated bias.
However, the court did not find any merit in their plea and instead considered the contentions put up by SIT.
Meanwhile, the SIT also produced another ASI Dilbhag Singh, who had been arrested on Wednesday after being quizzed by police investigators at Mohali for his alleged role in the disappearance of the said cash, before the Mohali duty magistrate and was remanded to police custody till April 29.
Have strong evidence against ASIs: SIT chief
SIT head and IG (crime) Praveen Kumar Sinha said the police had submitted details to the Mohali court that the SIT had strong evidence against the two ASIs Joginder Singh and Rajpreet Singh, who were part of the raiding team and people had recognised them. “The court was apprised about technical evidences as well as witnesses, who have certified to it,” he added. Both ASIs had joined the inquiry a day before they fled on April 7 when the SIT wanted to take them to the spot.
Asked about why FIR did not mention names of other members of the raiding party, the SIT head said the raiding party had gone in two groups and other members’ role was also being accounted for. However, the confiscated material was lost from the vehicle of these two ASIs. “Since the criminal role has been found on the part of these two ASIs, so their name are there in the FIR. We will proceed towards the procedural lapses after sorting out the details,” he added.