Framing of charges against Virk: HC notice to Punjab

The former DGP has sought quashing of the trial court orders on the ground that the case against him,registered by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau on charges of corruption,is still in its investigation stage. Virk has contended that it is the admitted case of the Punjab government and the investigating agency is yet to conclude the probe.

Virk has raised the argument that charges cannot be framed in the absence of conclusion of investigation,thus the order passed by the Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADJ),Mohali,should be quashed.

It might be recalled that last year,the Supreme Court had upheld the Punjab and Haryana High Court orders wherein S K Asthana,Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police,Patiala,was removed as investigating officer from the case.

The state had been directed to appoint a new investigating officer to probe the corruption case pending against Virk. The investigation is yet to conclude. The corruption case against Virk under the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act was registered by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau in September 2007. In March 2008,the VB had filed the main chargesheet against Virk for having “disproportionate assets” amounting to Rs 16.86 crore.

The first supplementary chargesheet filed in August 2008,had charged Virk with having “unaccounted money” of Rs 3.12 crore in over 35 bank accounts. Though the investigating agency has filed supplementary chargesheets,the investigation is yet to be completed.

It might be recalled here that Virk had moved the High Court last year demanding advance notice from the Punjab Police in any fresh case to be registered against him.

Justice H S Bhalla,in December 2009,had directed the Punjab Government to grant seven days prior notice to Virk before arresting him in any fresh case. The relief is operative only for a year though.

Former DGP appears in court,case adjourned to Feb 1

MOHALI: FORMER Director General of Police (DGP) of Maharashtra and Punjab Sarabdeep Singh Virk on Monday appeared before a Special Court in Mohali in a high-profile corruption,disproportionate assets and criminal case registered against him by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) on September 8,2007. The retired senior IPS officer,through his local counsels,sought adjournment for arguments and framing of charges against the accused on the ground that R L Shetty (representative of famous criminal lawyer and former Union Law Minister Ram Jethmalani hired by Virk to argue the case),could not take off from Mumbai to Mohali due to bad weather. Accepting the request,Special Judge S K Garg posted the matter to February 1. In supplementary chargesheet,Punjab Police had pegged Virk’s alleged “disproportionate assets” to Rs 29.54 crore. Besides,Virk was also charged with “grabbing” 30 kanals prime land of war widow Mohinder Kaur. Former Punjab terrorist Sukhwinder Singh Sukhi was also named as co-accused and was charged with assisting Virk in alleged “land grabbing and benami transactions”. While Dimpy was arrested along with Virk in the case on September 9,2007,and both were presently out on bail,Sukhi has been declared a proclaimed offender by the court. In March 2008,VB had filed the main chargesheet against Virk for having “disproportionate assets” amounting to Rs 16.86 crore and the first supplementary chargesheet filed in August 2008 had charged Virk with having “unaccounted money” of Rs 3.12 crore in his over 35 bank accounts.