The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Thursday, May 15, 2003, Chandigarh, India

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Judges’ case: more officials in CBI net?
Kiran Deep

Chandigarh, May 14
The names of some more judicial and police officials are expected to surface during the investigations of the corruption case involving Jalandhar’s District and Sessions Judge R.M. Gupta and UT Judicial Magistrate (First Class) S.S. Bhardwaj.

Facts in this regard were revealed today by CBI officials looking into the case when they were filing a reply, acting on three different applications moved by R.M. Gupta in a local court for cutting short his police remand, permitting counsel to meet him and to get his medical examination everyday .

Denying the permission to curtail the period of police custody of Gupta, the CBI stated that the officials had questioned Gupta but he was not cooperating in the investigation. The CBI said a case was registered in Chandigarh on May 9, 2003 under Section 120-B, IPC, and certain Sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act against both accused Gupta and Bhardwaj on the basis of a written complaint lodged against them by Gurvinder Singh Samra.

About the judicial officers’ involvement, the CBI further claimed that Bhardwaj allegedly demanded and accepted Rs 7 lakh for himself and Gupta to show favour in an anticipatory bail application moved by Samra in Gupta court. Later, S.S. Bhardwaj disappeared from his official residence (H.No 221, Sector-22) around 12.30 a.m. on May 11, 2003 allegedly to avoid legal action. Meanwhile, Gupta has been remanded in police custody till May 16.

While granting permission to Gupta to meet his counsel, the UT Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr C.L. Mohal, stated, “Every accused while in police custody is entitled to meet his counsel in the morning from 8.30 a.m. to 9.30 a.m. and again in the evening from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. everyday. If counsel discovers evidence of any maltreatment, he shall be entitled to require the district medical officer to examine the accused forthwith and make a report”. The CJM further said, therefore, his advocate, Mr A.S. Sukhija, and his junior, Mr Jarnail Singh, are allowed to meet Gupta.

Regarding the medical examination of Gupta, the CJM said the CBI had no objection in his daily medical check-up. About the curtailment of the period of Gupta’s police custody, the CJM stated that the application will be considered on May 16.

CBI demands call details of R.M. Gupta
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, May 14
The CBI has sought details of telephone calls made and received by the suspended District and Sessions Judge, Mr R.M. Gupta, at his official residence here during the past three months in its bid to corner those conduits, who were reportedly instrumental in negotiating alleged deals on behalf of Mr Gupta to favour litigants.

According to sources, CBI officials today met senior BSNL officials here and asked them to provide details of calls made and received by Mr Gupta. The BSNL authorities were also told to provide the complete information about his mobile phone. The record of fixed and mobile phone might expose the identity of conduits, the sources said.

Seeking anonymity, a BSNL official confirmed that the department would be providing all relevant records to the CBI as and when requested. “The details of mobile phone will be provided by our Chandigarh office,” he said.

Meanwhile, police teams, which were sent to Chandigarh this morning to arrest Gurwinder Singh Samra, who is wanted in several cases of cheating and criminal breach of trust, remained unsuccessful. Samra, according to the sources, had approached some senior officials of the Vigilance Bureau and provided some documentary evidence about the misdeeds of Punjab Police officials.

In another development, Amarjit Kaur of Bakshiwala village in Sangrur district and her husband, Gubinder Singh, who got registered a case under Sections 406 and 420 of the IPC against Samra, made a dramatic appearance at the courts complex here late in the evening. The couple demanded that Samra should be arrested immediately for allegedly fleecing patients by charging hefty amounts.

“Samra should be severely punished for ruining the life of my husband, who had undergone surgery at his hospital about two years back and is living a miserable life due to wrong treatment. I had to sell my small landholding for Rs 2.5 lakh, which was paid to Samra for the treatment,” Ms Amarjit Kaur alleged.

CBI sleuths continued to scrutinise files of those cases which were settled by Mr Gupta during his tenure here as Sessions Judge.

UNI adds: CBI sleuths on Wednesday raided the hospital run by Dr Samra.

Nearly eight to 10 CBI personnel conducted the search at his hospital in Kartarpur, 15 km from here.