2 cops held, co-accused identified in Mohali

Tribune News Service
Mohali, December 23

In a swift action, the Mohali police have arrested the two cops, who have now been dismissed from the service, for an attempt to murder and a theft bid at a house in Sector 71.

The cops, ASI Rashpreet Singh and Constable Devinder Singh, had struck at the house of the victim, Naresh Kumar, on the night of December 20. The third suspect in the case, the driver of the vehicle in which the cops had fled after the incident, has been identified as Vikas Sharma, a resident of Sambhalki village.

According to the police, Vikas was employed as a security guard in Naresh Kumar’s firm, JTPL City, and tipped off the two cops about a large amount of money in the victim’s house.

The pistol used in the crime was a licensed weapon and belonged to Vikas. The cops and Vikas knew each other for quite some time. The white car in which the suspects fled belonged to Davinder Singh, the police added. The police said raids were being carried out for his arrest.

Investigation revealed that the trio had conspired to commit a theft and decided to share the spoils equally.

Davinder Singh had recently joined the Mohali police after getting a job on compassionate grounds after his father’s death.

Sources said Vikas and Davinder belonged to same Sambhalki village and knew each other well.

On December 20, the disgraced cops, both in their early 30s, allegedly barged into the 54-year-old’s house and tried to rob him at gunpoint. Rashpreet hit the victim several times on the head with the butt of the pistol with the intention of killing him. Later, they fled in a car waiting outside. The duo, in their police uniform, failed in their bid to loot money or gold from the victim’s house, but took away the victim and his son’s mobile phone. The duo was absconding since then and dismissed from service with immediate effect.

Mohali SSP Satinder Singh said, “There will be a detailed investigation and the suspects will be questioned about their involvement in such incidents in the past. The two cops have brought a bad name to the entire district police force.”

The trio has been booked under Sections 307, 458, 382, 323 and 34 of the IPC and Section 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act at the Mataur police station.