MOHALI: Former Punjab director-general of police (DGP) Sumedh Singh Saini is likely to be arrested as a local court on Friday allowed the Punjab Police to add murder charge against him for allegedly eliminating Balwant Singh Multani. The order was issued by the court of judicial magistrate (JM1C) Rasveen Kaur after which special investigation team (SIT) added Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) to the FIR registered at Mataur police station.
The murder charge was added to the FIR registered previously after two former UT cops and co-accused were co-opted as eyewitness to the disappearance and killing of Multani. The SIT will now proceed to arrest Saini and other co-accused in the case by Monday as it has already issued summons under Section 302 of the IPC. Former UT cops and co-accused in the disappearance case of Multani, Jagir Singh and Kuldeep Singh, turned approvers after their plea was accepted by the court of chief judicial magistrate (CJM) Deepika Singh on August 18. Approvers are accused who have been declared witnesses and are granted pardon under section 306 CrPC.
“We have enough evidence against Sumedh Singh Saini now. Jagir Singh and Kuldeep Singh have become approvers,” special public prosecutor Sartej Singh Narula said.
‘3-day notice before arrest of accused’
The approvers have recorded their statements before the court giving substantial evidence as eyewitnesses against Saini. So, we have sought permission to add Section 302 to the FIR which has been allowed by the court,” special public prosecutor said.
“... These approvers are witness to the torture committed by the accused and subsequent events in 1991. Therefore, from overall perusal of the material on record, this court is of the considered view that Section 302 of IPC is sought to be added in the instant dated May 6, 2020 and needed to be investigated accordingly. Thus, the application in hand is allowed. However, in order to maintain the sanctity of Article 21 as well as order passed by the court of ADJ, Mohali on July 10, accused persons be served with 3-day prior notice before arrest,” said the court on Friday.
The murder charge was added to the FIR registered previously after two former UT cops and co-accused were co-opted as eyewitness to the disappearance and killing of Multani. The SIT will now proceed to arrest Saini and other co-accused in the case by Monday as it has already issued summons under Section 302 of the IPC. Former UT cops and co-accused in the disappearance case of Multani, Jagir Singh and Kuldeep Singh, turned approvers after their plea was accepted by the court of chief judicial magistrate (CJM) Deepika Singh on August 18. Approvers are accused who have been declared witnesses and are granted pardon under section 306 CrPC.
“We have enough evidence against Sumedh Singh Saini now. Jagir Singh and Kuldeep Singh have become approvers,” special public prosecutor Sartej Singh Narula said.
‘3-day notice before arrest of accused’
The approvers have recorded their statements before the court giving substantial evidence as eyewitnesses against Saini. So, we have sought permission to add Section 302 to the FIR which has been allowed by the court,” special public prosecutor said.
“... These approvers are witness to the torture committed by the accused and subsequent events in 1991. Therefore, from overall perusal of the material on record, this court is of the considered view that Section 302 of IPC is sought to be added in the instant dated May 6, 2020 and needed to be investigated accordingly. Thus, the application in hand is allowed. However, in order to maintain the sanctity of Article 21 as well as order passed by the court of ADJ, Mohali on July 10, accused persons be served with 3-day prior notice before arrest,” said the court on Friday.
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