SC grants anticipatory bail to former Punjab DGP Sumedh Singh in 1991 murder case

The Supreme Court on Thursday granted anticipatory bail to ex Punjab DGP Sumedh Singh Saini in a case related to alleged abduction and murder of a junior engineer Balwant Singh Multani in 1991, saying the FIR was filed after 29 years after the incident.

"Many a time, the delay may not be fatal to the criminal proceedings. However, it always depends upon the facts and circumstances of each case. However, at the same time, a long delay like 29 years as in the present case can certainly be a valid consideration for the grant of anticipatory bail," a bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, R Subhash Reddy and M R Shah said.

The court ordered in case of arrest, Saini would be granted bail on a personal bond of Rs one lakh and two sureties of the same amount.

The bench said the appellant has made out a case for anticipatory bail, as he has retired in 2018 as Director General of Police, Punjab after 30 years of service and the alleged incident is of 1991.

The court also pointed out in the present FIR, initially there was no allegation for the murder and there were allegations only for abduction and destruction of evidence among others. Subsequently, the offence under Section 302 (murder) IPC has been added on the basis of the statements of Jagir Singh and Kuldip Singh approvers only.

Saini said that the FIR was registered against him this year in a mala fide manner, as now he is a retired person.

He further alleged that the Punjab government was after him because he had filed two charge sheets, naming current Chief Minister of Punjab Captain Amarinder Singh as the accused.

Saini, a 1982-batch IPS officer, who was the youngest DGP in the country, was booked along with six others on May 6 this year at Mataur police station in Mohali for the alleged kidnapping of Multani, wrongful confinement, among other charges in 1991.

In August, the murder charge was added to the FIR, after two co-accused had turned approvers. In their statement, they claimed to be witnesses to the torture meted out to Multani, under the custody of former DGP Saini, who was then the SSP of Chandigarh.

Multani worked with Chandigarh Industrial and Tourism Corporation (Citco) and was picked up by the police after a terrorist attack on Saini, who was injured in the attack and three policemen were killed.

A plea by Saini was quashing the FIR is pending separately before the top court.