Former state DGP Sumedh Singh Saini was arrested by thePunjab Vigilance Bureau on Wednesday in a land fraud case.
As per information, Saini, went to the Vigilance Bureauoffice around 8:10 pm, on his own, saying he wanted to join investigation in acase in which he got interim anticipatory bail on August 13.
However, the Vigilance officers formally arrested him inanother case of forgery in which he committed offence by stopping the processof attachment of a residence in Sector 20-D, Chandigarh. Saini claims thatafter retiring from his service, he stayed in the residence as a tenant for atleast a year.
Saini had filed a motion with the HC on August 17,claiming that the VB was likely to arrest him in another case. The petition,however, was withdrawn by him.
Saini and six others were booked on August 2 by thePunjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) in corruption and disproportionate case filed atthe Phase-I Vigilance Bureau police station in Mohali. On August 3, the VB team visited Saini’s Sector-20 house toarrest him following a registration of the FIR in an assets case. However, thebureau was unable to find him despite having credible information on Saini'swhereabouts.
TheLand Fraud Case
· Sumedh Saini, according to reports wasarrested on Wednesday in connection with a September 17, 2020 case. The casewas registered at the vigilance bureau police station in Phase -1, Mohali undersections 420 (cheating), 467, 468 (forgery), 408 (breach of trust), and 120 (B)(criminal conspiracy).
· Devinder Singh Sandhu, director, WWICS EstatePrivate Ltd, Naginder Rao, general manager of WWICS, and Ashok Kumar Sikka (PCSOfficer) were charged with forgery of documents related to a change of land useby WWICS in connivance with employees of the local bodies department inconnection with the sale of land in Kurali.
· PWD XEN Nimratdeep Singh and his fatherJaspal Singh were also named by the VB in the case. The VB stated that themoney Jaspal received from the land sale was used to purchase the property inSector 20 where Saini was residing.
· A fake rent agreement between Saini andJaspal was displayed. Saini then bought the house and paid some money toJaspal, according to the VB investigation.
· VB had attached Saini's house, but he had notbeen named in the case until now despite the fact that Jaspal and his son hadbeen granted bail by the high court.
· This is the fourth FIR in which Mr Siani hasbeen accused by the Punjab Police/Vigilance Bureau since his retirement as theDirector-General of Police (DGP).
· Saini has stated that the Congress governmentis out to get him because he lodged cases against Amarinder Singh and his aideBS Chahal as vigilance chief during the previous SAD-BJP regime.
· As Head of the Vigilance Bureau, Saini hadfiled a case against Mr Bharat Inder Singh Chahal, the then Media Advisor ofthe current Chief Minister. Son of Bharat Inder Singh Chahal was enlisted inthe rank of DSP as a sportsman, and because he is not a sportsman, a vigilanceinquiry was initiated.
· Mr Chahal is also a political advisor to theState Chief Minister at present.
· “It is a case which has a political colour toit and instances of FIRs being lodged due to political vendetta are not known,”said Saini in his plea to the special court.