Former Punjab DGP Saini booked in kidnapping case; denied entry at Himachal border

Chandigarh/Dharamsala

The Punjab Police on Wednesday evening booked former state DGP Sumedh Singh Saini and six other police officials at Mohali in a 29-year-old case of alleged kidnapping, torture, and “stage-managed elimination” of Balwant Singh Multani, son of IAS officer Darshan Singh Multani.

The registration of the case coincides with the denial of entry to Saini into Himachal Pradesh early on Thursday morning.

In the FIR, Palwinder Singh Multani, brother of the alleged victim, has named six other police officials, including DSP Baldev Singh Saini, Inspector Satvir Singh, SI Har Sahai Sharma, SI Jagir Singh, SI Anoop Singh and ASI Kuldip Singh.

Balwant Singh Multani was accused of carrying out an attack on Saini on December 21, 1991, when the latter was SSP, Chandigarh.

Multani, along with Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar, convict in a Delhi bomb blast case, and two others were booked in the case. Later, the police claimed Multani escaped from the custody of Qadian (Gurdaspur) police.

None of the officials booked on Wednesday has been arrested so far. Punjab DGP Dinkar Gupta and Mohali SSP Kuldeep Chahal were not available for comment despite repeated attempts.

Also read No question of political interference in case against ex-DGP Saini: Capt Amarinder

Saini also could not be contacted for comment, though he was quoted by a news portal as saying that the case was a conspiracy against him by the current political regime in Punjab.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court had ordered a CBI inquiry into the case after the Multani family pursued the matter. However, the Supreme Court had quashed the High Court order.

On Thursday morning, Sumedh Singh Saini and two others were denied entry into Himachal Pradesh through the Swarghat area in Bilaspur district on Thursday at 4 am.

Bilaspur SP Divakar Sharma told The Tribune that the former Punjab DGP had called him after the policemen posted at Swarghat border denied him entry as he did not have a valid pass. The retired officer said he wanted to visit Karsog.

Since Saini did not have a valid pass for movement during the lockdown, he was asked to return, the SP said.