M A I N   N E W S

Convicted cop Pinki claims ex-judge sought bribe
MURDER CASE Judge denies charge, says he could have complained to the Chief Justice
Saurabh Malik/TNS

Chandigarh, July 2
Nearly three years after surfacing of the cash-for-judge rip-off, a convicted Punjab Police Inspector today accused a former Punjab and Haryana High Court Judge of demanding bribe.

Addressing media, CAT commando Gurmeet Singh, alias Pinki, created a flutter this morning when he said Justice Jora Singh had demanded a bribe of Rs 50 lakh to release him in a murder case.

The assertion comes at a time when Justice Jora Singh’s name is reportedly being considered for Punjab Lokpal’s post.

Pinki was sentenced to life imprisonment in October 2006 for allegedly shooting Avtar Singh on January 7, 2001. Pinki levelled the allegation against Justice Jora Singh in the presence of print and electronic media at a press conference.

As of now there is nothing to connect the allegations directly to the Judge. Pinki himself agreed that he had never interacted directly with the Judge or any member of his family.

As such, the allegations can solely be taken as an expression of Pinki’s individual belief. The newspaper does not subscribe to his views in any manner.

Describing the move as “motivated”, Justice Jora Singh said Pinki could have complained to the Judge heading the Division Bench or the Chief Justice if there was any veracity in the allegations. But, it was for the first time after all these months that unsubstantiated allegations were being levelled.

Flanked by his lawyer Surjit Singh Sodhi, Pinki claimed that he was out from jail on parole on December 10, 2011. His lawyer received a call from the cell phone of Justice Jora Singh’s personal secretary Udham Singh asking him to come to his house. Pinki added that he along, with his two assistants, reached Udham Singh’s house only to be told that Justice Jora Singh had asked them to come with case documents; and the lower court’s decision would be changed, if payment of Rs 50 lakh was made.

Pinki alleged several meetings were held with Udham Singh. “After the assurance of getting money, Justice Jora Singh sent his son Harmanjit Singh, alias Monu, who along with a lawyer Nirmal Singh, started dealing with us”, Pinki claimed.

“I paid Rs 2.50 lakh as advance money to Udham Singh and Nirmal Singh sent by Justice Jora Singh”. But Udham Singh later informed them that the Judge was under pressure and he could be released on the basis of the sentence already undergone, Pinki alleged. “On January 31, 2012, Justice Jora Singh maintained the decision of the session judge, despite taking the bribe of Rs 2.50 lakh,” Pinki further alleged.

Pinki agreed that there was no direct evidence against the Judge and the delay in approaching the media was due to the fact that he was out on parole for the first time after the HC verdict.