Punjab Newsline | Mohali
Dismissed Punjab Police AIG Rajjit Singh Hundal was produced before a Duty Magistrate in Mohali on Friday after being arrested by the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF). The agency sought a 10-day police remand for interrogation, but the court granted five days of police custody.
According to the ANTF, investigators need to recover Rs 5 lakh and further question Hundal in connection with the case. Officials also stated that a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), who was earlier named as an accused in the matter, has turned approver, and his statements are being treated as a significant part of the investigation.
Hundal was arrested by the ANTF from Patiala on Thursday morning after allegedly remaining absconding for nearly three years. He was wanted in a case registered in May 2023.
Following the court hearing, Hundal’s counsel, Sarabjot Singh Dhillon, questioned the police action. He said FIR No. 138 was registered against his client in May 2023 under Sections 7 and 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act and Section 59 of the NDPS Act.
The defence argued that Section 59 of the NDPS Act relates to failure by an officer to properly discharge official duties and claimed that no narcotics recovery has been shown from Hundal in the FIR. According to the lawyer, the allegations are primarily linked to his official role and conduct as an officer.
Dhillon further claimed that a Vigilance Bureau inquiry conducted in 2019 on similar corruption allegations had found Hundal innocent. He argued that the fresh action raises questions as it is based on the same set of facts.
The defence also contended that mandatory sanction requirements under Section 17 of the Prevention of Corruption Act were not complied with before the investigation. Similar questions regarding required approvals under provisions related to Section 59 of the NDPS Act would also be raised before the court, the lawyer said.
Police, however, maintained that Hundal was arrested from a house in Darshan Singh Nagar, Patiala. Officials said multiple cases have been registered against him under the NDPS Act, IPC and Arms Act in connection with drug-related matters. Separate cases under the Prevention of Corruption Act have also been registered by the ANTF and the Vigilance Bureau. Police added that Hundal had already been declared a proclaimed offender (PO).
