Jalandhar, February 23
The district police today booked two Adampur Indian Air Force (IAF) officers on the charge of the murder of a 26-year-old civilian employee here today.
The case was registered on a complaint filed by the deceased man’s father Govind Ram, working as Upper Division Clerk (UDC) with the
force. He had alleged that group ‘D’ civilian employee Sachin Bahri was done to death by the two officials during an interrogation regarding the alleged financial misappropriation by the deceased in the officers’ mess. However, the Air Force officials have denied it outrightly.
A case of murder against Wing Commander Bharat Kumar and Flight Lieutenant Mani Ram under Section 302, IPC, was registered here at noon. The arrest is, however, yet to be made as the SSP said investigation was still on.
During the day, tension prevailed as family members and residents gathered outside the station gate in large numbers to lodge their protest. The civil and Air Force police, however, reached just in time to prevent the situation from going out of control. SSP Arpit Shukla and ADC S.S. Marar also reached the spot.
The family of the deceased alleged that Sachin, who was working as accounts assistant due to his BCA qualification, was on duty since morning yesterday. They said he had called up last night to say that he would be late. But his father Govind Ram went to get him back since his wife was waiting for him over the dinner, they said. The deceased had been wedded just 20 days back.
The father said when he went there he was told that his son was involved in a misappropriation case to the tune of Rs 1.17 lakh and he could not be sent back till the case was properly looked into. He alleged that his son was held up in the guardroom last night. He said he received a call at 6:50 am today that he should reach immediately. He said he was in for a major shock when the news of his death was revealed to him there.
Sachin is said to have been working there for the past three years. He had reportedly been off for more than 15 days since his sister, Ritu Bahri, too had got married on January 30.
Defence PRO Naresh Vig said Sachin was asked about the whole issue in which misappropriations worth Rs 1.17 lakh had been admitted by him in writing.
A release was issued in which it was stated: “Preliminary investigations continued till late night in the presence of his parents. He vomited in the early morning hours for which immediate medical help was provided.
Despite best efforts made by all medical and administrative authorities, Sachin died en route to the Civil Hospital. The body has been sent for postmortem at the same hospital and the civil police is investigating the case. An inquiry has been ordered by the station authorities to find out the exact cause of the incident.”
A Court of Inquiry is said to have been initiated. An Air Force team from Delhi too is said to have arrived for the purpose.
