New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday has issued notice and sought the response of Punjab government within three weeks on the petition filed by former Punjab DGP Sumedh Singh Saini over an alleged murder case. The apex court also granted Saini protection from arrest till its further orders.
The bench led by Justice Ashok Bhushan was hearing a plea filed by Saini challenging the Punjab and Haryana High Court's order of denying him anticipatory bail in Balwant Singh Multani kidnapping and murder case.
On Tuesday, senior Advocate Mukul Rohtagi appeared for Saini and contended that he is a decorated officer, was posted in the thick of militancy and has suffered 5 bullet injuries. After Multani's escape, his father had filed a plea but it was rejected because Multani was an offender.
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It was also held in the Supreme Court that there is no fresh material to order a CBI probe and hence the matter was dismissed. Rohtagi questioned on how can a disposed of appeal be entertained after 10 years from SC's decision.
Rohatgi said that FIR was registered in a malafide manner by Multani's son after 29 years since he escaped. He also pointed out that 2 other accused who turned approvers have got bail.
He further contended that the government is after him just because he had filed 2 charge sheets of which Punjab Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh is an accused.
Justice Ashok Bhushan questioned the Punjab government about the hurried want of arrest when the matter is of the year 1991 which is 30 years old.
Punjab government in its reply stated that witnesses in the police station have clarified that picture of Multani which was released is not original and the High Court had also noted that Saini used to intimidate. High Court had observed that a person succumbed to injuries after he was treated inhumanly by Saini, added the government.
The Supreme Court has given three weeks time to Punjab government to file its response over the plea and till then Saini has been asked to cooperate in the investigation.
Sumedh Singh Saini is currently on the run.
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