2 Chandigarh Police head constables acquitted in graft case

The CBI court of Darshan Singh today acquitted two Chandigarh Police head constables in a corruption case. The case dates back to 2005 when the two were caught ‘red-handed’ by the CBI taking a bribe of Rs 8,000 from a liquor dealer. However,the case fell flat in the court as the prosecution struggled to prove the charges against the duo.

The court acquitted head constable Killdeer and head constable Balbir Singh under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The two were arrested on November 10,2005,when Surinder Jindal,a liquor contractor complained to the CBI that the two head constables were demanding bribe from him to absolve him of the charges under the Excise Act. Surinder said in his complaint to the CBI that he was booked in a case of the Excise Act by the police and the two told him that they will free him of the charges if he paid Rs 10,000. They also told him that in case he failed to pay the amount,they would frame him in more cases. A deal was then stuck for Rs 8,000.

Surinder told the CBI that he was innocent and he is being asked to pay money to be let off.

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The CBI laid a trap and the complainant spoke to Balbir over phone when he convened him to Nirman theatre.

As per the prosecution theory,the two then asked him to come near the Sector-32 hospital. The money was then handed over to the constables in a car when the CBI arrested Kuldip red-handed and then Balbir was arrested later from the hospital. An amount of Rs 6,000 was recovered from Balbir while Rs 2,000 was recovered from the car.

However,the case took a new turn in the court when complainant Surinder Jindal failed to fully support the prosecution in his statements that money was indeed handed over the accused.