Shivangi Prakash-
Just over 24 hours after being arrested by the State Vigilance Bureau in a corruption case, the Punjab and Haryana High Court granted the immediate release of Punjab’s former DGP Punjab Sumedh Singh Saini.
Saini had approached the High Court just hours before his detention, requesting that the protection of a seven-day notice/ blanket bail be extended to him in all instances, claiming that the Punjab Government had disobeyed the High Court’s instructions.
The arguments in the two cases, including Saini’s appeal for extension of protection in all instances and a habeas corpus petition for his release, went on all day on Thursday in the Court of Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi.
Senior advocates Vinod Ghai and APS Deol, as well as advocates Kanika Ahuja, Himmat Singh Deol, Jasdev Singh Mehndiratta, and Kirti Ahuja, argued that the retired DGP was arrested by the vigilance bureau in violation of three previous High Court orders — dated October 11, 2018, September 23, 2020, and an anticipatory bail granted to Saini on August 12 this year.
The panel further stated that the Multani murder case, which was filed by the Punjab Police on May 6, 2020, would be the only exemption.
Saini’s counsel claimed that, despite a High Court order that he be given a week’s notice before being arrested, officials were attempting to arrest him by falsely accusing him of crimes.
On Wednesday, the Vigilance Bureau detained Saini in a case filed in Mohali on September 17, 2020, on allegations of cheating, forgery, and other offences under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 409, 420, 467, 468, 471, and 120-B, as well as the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The Vigilance Bureau brought Saini before Chief Judicial Magistrate Pamelpreet Grewal Kahal on Thursday. His police custody was sought by the Vigilance Bureau.
Saini stayed at the Mohali Court until midnight, waiting for a copy of the High Court’s release order.
In the meantime, the Vigilance Bureau has detained two more suspects in the investigation. Davinder Singh Sandhu, senior director of World Wide Immigration Consultancy Services (WWICS), and Shakti Sagar, a Government employee, are among those who have been arrested. Sandhu was apprehended in Mohali, while Sagar was apprehended in Amritsar.