Raj Jit ensured Inderjit’s promotions despite graft cases

Jupinderjit Singh

Chandigarh, April 17

A Punjab Police constable can normally become an Inspector in about 30 years of unblemished service, but dismissed cop Inderjit Singh achieved that rank in only 17 years by getting out of the way promotions (under Own Rank Pay), thanks to recommendations by senior officers. With 77 commendation certificates (for action against drugs smugglers) and a gallantry medal, Inderjit should be among the supercops of the state.

But that is just half the story. Of the 17 cases of drug smuggling that Inderjit registered during his most controversial tenure with SSP Raj Jit Singh, he did not present challan in any of those, thus helping the accused.

From constable to SHO in 7 years

• Inderjit Singh appointed as Constable in 1986; brought on promotion list C-II by the Jalandhar SSP in August 1989
• Made Head Constable in May 1992 and Sub-Inspector on ad hoc basis in September 1993
• He got plum postings as SHO/CIA incharge in various districts after 1993, indicating that he enjoyed patronage of various senior officers in the Punjab Police

Key controversial cases

• Theft case (FIR No. 89 dated June 15, 2006) under Sections 379, 406 and 409 of the IPC in Amritsar district. The case was mysteriously deleted from the monthly crime diary of the police station concerned. It is under investigation till date
• The Vigilance Bureau lodged FIR No. 1 dated February 2, 2015, under the Prevention of Corruption Act at Mohali. The case is still under investigation and Inspector (ORP) Inderjit Singh has not been arrested in this case till date

Highlighting the police-smuggler nexus, the SIT report details the “collusion” between the two officials. The three reports of the special investigation team, formed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, were recently made public after remaining sealed for five years,

These says that Raj Jit Singh has, in a statement to the SIT, said, “While Inspector Inderjit Singh worked as CIA Inspector, his intentions and ill deeds had not come to the fore.” But the SIT remarked in the report that “at the time that Inspector (ORP) Inderjit Singh was appointed as Tarn Taran CIA incharge by Raj Jit Singh, there were two criminal cases pending against him and he faced 14 departmental inquiries.”

In his statement, Raj Jit Singh mentioned about various awards bestowed on Inderjit (for good job against drugs smugglers), yet, when questioned, he told the SIT that he was unaware of the pending departmental inquiries and criminal cases against Inderjit Singh.

Raj Jit issued three show-cause notices to Inderjit as SSP, but filed those without any proper written explanation from Inderjit. Interestingly, two of the three notices were issued on June 30, 2014, a week before Raj Jit Singh recommended a double promotion for Inderjit Singh. The mandate of the SIT was to investigate Raj Jit Singh’s complicity with Inderjit. But the investigation found that Inderjit’s influence was not limited to Raj Jit only.

The SIT officials pointed out that Inderjit also colluded with other senior cops. The report recommended a separate probe into that aspect.

The report mentioned that 14 departmental inquiries were ordered against him from time to time. He was censured five times and his one-year approved service was also forfeited. Still, he was let off in most of the departmental inquiries.

In 2016, the Punjab Police stated that 79 security officials, including 65 from the force, were booked and dismissed from service for helping drugs smugglers. Inderjit escaped action at that time despite a crackdown during the SAD-BJP rule.

“The fact that Inspector (ORP) Inderjit Singh was able to get himself out of trouble in all of those departmental inquiries, despite facing charges of serious nature, suggests that he exercises huge influence in the state police,” the report states.

Even the then Punjab DGP (MS Bhullar) had made scathing observations against Inderjit Singh in an FIR registered against the tainted cop and asked the Amritsar SSP to file a chargesheet, but that was not done. Instead, Inderjit got the FIR cancellation report filed in the court by threatening the complainant. “This shows that this official enjoys support from senior officers,” states the SIT report.