Chandigarh's Model Jail of Burail (Express Photo/File)THE NATIONAL Investigation Agency (NIA) has questioned a few accused — including some arrested Punjab police personnel lodged in Model Burail jail — in connection to a leaked phone audio conversation between former Punjab DGP, Siddharth Chattopadhyay, and a dismissed policeman, Sarabjeet Singh, inside Mode Burail jail some days ago.
Sources said that the accused inside Burail prison were questioned for more than two hours.
The leaked audio purportedly between Ex-DGP, Siddharth Chattopadhyay and dismissed police officer, Sarbjit Singh, had raised many concerns. In the audio, many references were made to the issues related to national security. The name of PM Narendra Modi was also heard in the audio. The branch office of NIA, Chandigarh, is situated in the Community Center building, Model Burail jail, Sector 51.
“A team from the NIA, comprising senior officers upto the rank of DSP, had questioned at least two accused inside the jail with permission from a local court. Though the prison officer and other jail staff witnessed the questioning, they were not able to hear the conversation between the accused and interrogators. The NIA questioned the two accused for one day, for more than two hours,” a source said.
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The leaked audio between ex-DGP, Siddharth Chattopadhyay, and a dismissed Punjab policeman, Sarabjit Singh, had gone viral days after the registration of an FIR in connection to a case of using forged signature of the Punjab top cop, on behalf of which many policemen in the state were transferred and promoted in January this year.
Initially, Chandigarh police had lodged the FIR against dismissed policeman, Sarbjit Singh, and Mohali cyber cell in-charge, Inspector Satwant Singh, invoking many sections of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act at Sector 3 police station. Later, the case was transferred to the NIA as it involved national security, terrorism, and explosive substances.
Sources said that the audio clip was found in the phone of one accused, Sandeep, who had hatched a conspiracy to issue promotion orders undersigned by Siddharth Chattopadhyay. Sandeep had been also arrested by the Chandigarh police. A senior UT police officer said, “As the FIR pertaining to the leaked audio was taken over by the NIA, Chandigarh police will file a cancellation report in this connection. Filing a cancellation report is a legal procedure as two agencies cannot investigate one FIR.”
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