Security cover for more VIPs likely to be pruned

The Delhi Police had objected to the move and have written to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs in this regard. Punjab Police had, however, defended its move.

Trial enters critical stage, CBI court frames more charges against accused

FIVE years after it came into the limelight, the infamous Moga sex scandal trial has now reached a crucial stage at the special CBI court in Patiala. At stake is the political fortune of former Punjab minister and SAD veteran Tota Singh, whose son Barjinder Singh alias Makhan, is one of the accused in the case.

Other than Barjinder Singh, four police officers — former Moga senior superintendent of police Davinder Singh Garcha, former superintendent of police Paramdip Singh Sandhu, former deputy superintendent of police Raman Kumar and former station house officer Amarjit Singh — and four others have been chargesheeted by the CBI, which has been investigating the case since 2007.

The scandal came to fore in 2007 when a host of rich and influential people of the city were first booked for sexual assault of minor girls and then let off. The scandal involved politicians, local leaders, leading businessmen, influential people and councillors of Moga. Later, however, it revealed that two women — Manpreet Kaur and Manjeet Kaur — were used as traps by the accused, who would then blackmail influential and rich people or let them off after accepting a bribe.

The case was transferred from the Punjab Police to the CBI by the Punjab and Haryana High Court in December 2007. There were initially 10 accused in this case, but Manpreet Kaur later became an official witness, reducing the number of accused to nine. The CBI chargesheet made out a case under Sections 120B, 182, 195, 211 and 384 of the IPC and Section 7 and Section 13(2) of the PC Act. In February last year, the CBI court had framed charges against the accused. Last week, while the court added conspiracy charges against Barjinder, Amarjit was also charged under Section 7 the Prevention of Corruption Act. With this, framing of charges has been completed by the court.

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