Gurdaspur SP (Headquarters) Gurmeet Singh arrested in rape case

Gurdaspur, July 4

Gurdaspur SP (Headquarters) Gurmeet Singh was arrested today by the Moga police after a Dinanagar-based woman complained that he had raped her.

A case under Section 376 (2) (rape by a police officer after taking advantage of his official position) was registered against him at the Gurdaspur City police station on July 2. The matter had been under investigation since April when the woman first claimed to have been raped.

The woman claimed she was pregnant when the officer sexually assaulted her at his residence in Gurdaspur. He is the second Gurdaspur-based police officer who has been arrested for raping a woman. In February 2019, Salwinder Singh, who incidentally was serving as SP (Headquarters) here, was given a ten year sentence after a woman filed a similar complaint against him. Like Gurmeet, Salwinder had to face trial under Section 376 (2) IPC.

A Special Investigating Team (SIT) was formed on directions of Punjab Police headquarters, Chandigarh, after the Dinanagar-based woman levelled charges against Gurmeet Singh. The SIT was led by Amritsar (Rural) SSP Swarandeep Singh.

The SP was arrested from Moga where he had gone for a court hearing. A joint team of the Amritsar (rural) and Moga police were instrumental in the arrest. DSP Ravinder Singh and Inspector Harjit Kaur, both of whom were members of the SIT, had gone to Moga today to take the officer into custody.

“Yes, Gurmeet Singh has been arrested. Further investigations are going on,” said SSP Swarandeep Singh.

Sources say the woman told the police that the officer sexually assaulted her despite knowing fully well that she was in the family way.

The woman had approached the SP following a dispute with her husband.

“I am not in a position to comment any further because we are still investigating the matter,” said SSP Swarandeep Singh.