Chandigarh: CBI arrests 2 EOW officers, 2 businessmen

Deputy Superintendent of Police R C Meena (Centre) in CBI custody on Thursday Photos: Jasbir Malhi.

At least one senior IPS officer posted in the Chandigarh Police is also under the scanner as his name reportedly figured in a conversation among the suspects while deciding on the bribe amount.

CBI teams conducted parallel raids at the office of Economic Offences Wing of UT Police and residences of all those booked. The raids were still in progress at the time of going to press.

CBI officials said the complainant in the case is a Mohali resident, Gurneet Kaur. Sources said Gurneet had got married to a Mumbai resident. However, she had a dispute with her in-laws and got a criminal case registered against them on charges of attempt to murder.

Sanjay Dahuja

Gurneet’s father, G S Chawla, owner of Chawla Filling Station, Balongi (Mohali district), was locked in a nine-year long property dispute with a Chandigarh resident, Deepak Duggal. Gurneet had also submitted several phone recordings of her conversation with the accused police officials and Sanjay Dahuja.

Aman Grover

“G S Chawla had a property dispute with Deepak Duggal. Based on a complaint lodged by Chawla, the Chandigarh Police registered a case against Duggal in 2014. Chawla alleged that he had paid Duggal Rs 1 crore as advance payment nearly nine years ago for purchasing a house in Sector 9. However, the deal did not go through and they entered into a property dispute. After Gurneet got involved in a matrimonial dispute, her in-laws contacted Sanjay through a city based lawyer, seeking his help. Sanjay and his friend Aman Grover, who is Deepak Duggal’s son-in-law, joined hands and used their connections in Chandigarh Police to help Gurneet’s in-laws. They got a criminal case registered against G S Chawla and his son around 10 days ago. The EOW began investigating the case and started putting pressure on the Chawla family to either withdraw their cases against Gurneet’s in-laws and Duggal, or face the consequences. Sanjay then contacted Gurneet to strike a deal and demanded Rs 95 lakh from her not to arrest her father G S Chawla and other family members”, a source told The Indian Express.

Gurneet approached the CBI and lodged a formal complaint against Sanjay and EOW officials. A trap was laid by the CBI officers at Berkeley Automobiles on Thursday. Gurneet handed over Rs 40 lakh to Sanjay and Aman Grover in Sanjay’s office. Both were caught redhanded by CBI and marked currency of Rs 40 lakh was recovered. CBI officials made Sanjay call DSP Meena and inform him that he had received the money. Sanjay and Aman were taken to EOW by the CBI officials where they arrested Meena and SI Surinder Kumar, investigating officer of the case against Chawla. All four will be produced in court on Friday. UT

Home Secretary, Anurag Agarwal, said, “ I am shocked to know that Chandigarh Police officers have been caught on graft charges. I have sought details from the IG. We will take strict action against all those found guilty.”

Meena was shifted in March, but not relieved

According to sources, R C Meena had completed his deputation tenure in the Chandigarh Police in March. However, he was yet to be relieved and he continued to head the Economic Offences Wing, a coveted post.