In a major turn of events, Punjab Police on Wednesday registered a case against their former chief Sumedh Singh Saini in connection with the disappearance of Balwant Singh Multani in 1991.
Saini was the Chandigarh senior superintendent of police (SSP) at that time. Multani was picked up by two officers after a terrorist attack on Saini in Chandigarh in which four cops in his security were killed.
As per reports, the case was registered under Sections 364 (kidnapping or abduction in order to murder), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence), 344 (wrongful confinement), 330 (voluntarily causing hurt to exhort confession) and 120 (B) (criminal conspiracy) in Mohali.
A complaint about Multani’s kidnapping was lodged by his brother. In 2007, a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe was initiated in this case against Saini n the directions of the Punjab and Haryana high court but it was later rejected by Supreme Court.
When asked on this Saini said, “What comments are required when a chief minister joins hands with anti-national elements to settle personal scores for having him booked for corruption?”
The relation of Saini has been bitter with Capt Amarinder Singh-led Congress government since the sacrilege cases of 2015 surfaced. He had challenged the Vigilance Bureau’s closure report in the Ludhiana City Centre scam in which Punja CM Capt Amarinder was an accused.
But in a major turn, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Thursday rejected former DGP Sumedh Singh Saini’s allegation of political motivation in the registration of an FIR against him in a kidnapping case of 1991.
There was no question of political interference, said the Chief Minister, asserting that the law will take its own course in the matter.
A police spokesperson said that the case against Saini, in the matter of disappearance of Balwant Singh Multani, was filed purely on the basis of a fresh application by the victim’s brother, Palwinder.
The spokesperson disclosed that the complainant had cited Para 80 of the Supreme Court order of 7th December, 2011, that it was "open to the applicants who had filed the petitions under Section 482 Cr.PC to take recourse to fresh proceedings, if permissible in law."
The complainant said in his complaint that the illegal acts of the accused persons “clearly disclose the commission of cognizable offences, as has also been established by the CBI during preliminary enquiry and therefore it’s the solemn duty of the police to lodge an FIR for the ghastly acts of the accused in terms of the specific directions of the Supreme Court in the case of ‘Lalitha Kumari v/s State of UP and others’.”
In his complaint, Palwinder said Balwant was picked up from his then residence in Mohali on December 11, 1991, and was taken to Police Station at Sec 17 Chandigarh under the orders of the then SSP Chandigarh, Sumedh Singh Saini S/o Romesh Chander Saini. Despite all efforts to secure his release, the family failed to get him back, due to the “terror and influence of Sumedh Singh Saini,” said the complainant, adding that it was after Saini’s retirement that they gathered the courage to resume their efforts to fight for justice.
Finally, due to sustained efforts, a preliminary enquiry was conducted under the directions of Punjab & Haryana High Court, which led to the registration of FIR No. RC5 12008(S)0010 Dated 02-07-2008 Uls 120(B), 364, 343, 330, 167 & 193 IPC by CBI at Chandigarh.
However, the High Court’s order was challenged in the Supreme Court, which set aside the former’s orders on the ground that the bench of the High Court passing the order lacked jurisdiction to deal with the case & as a consequence thereof, the FIR registered by CBI based on these orders was quashed only on technical grounds, the complainant pointed out.
However, he noted that the Supreme Court had given the family the liberty to take recourse to fresh proceedings, and also did not discuss and comment on the merits of the case.