Former Punjab DGP Sumedh Singh Saini and six other former Chandigarh police officials were booked in the case in May.The district court on Friday allowed to add murder charges against former Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Sumedh Singh Saini in connection with the alleged abduction of Balwant Singh Multani about 29 years ago.
The court ordered the police to give three-day prior notice to Saini before his arrest.
Saini and six other former Chandigarh police officials were booked in the case in May. On May 6, an FIR was lodged at Matour police station against Saini, who was posted as Chandigarh Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) in 1991 when Multani was allegedly abducted.
The court of Judicial Magistrate (Ist Class), Rasveen Kaur, ordered to add section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in the existing FIR.
The court observed that so far the facts of the instant FIR was concerned, a close scrutiny of the FIR and the police file showed that during the course of the investigation, statements of the co-accused turned approvers have been recorded.
The statements of approver Kuldeep Singh and Jagir Singh were also recorded, which showed that all the accused persons were participant in the inhumane torture and systematic elimination of Balwant Singh Multani in 1991.
The court order stated that the approvers were the eye-witnesses of the torture committed by the accused persons and the subsequent events in 1991.
“Therefore, from overall perusal of the material on record, this court is of the considered view that the section 302 of IPC is to be added in the instant FIR number 77 and need to be investigated accordingly. Thus, the application in hand is allowed,” the court pronounced.
The court further ordered that, however, in order to maintain the sanctity of the Article 21 of the Constitution as well as the order passed by ADJ Mohali on July 10, the accused persons be served with three-day prior notice before their arrest and are enable to approach the court.
The prosecution had filed the application in the court to add charge of murder in the FIR.