Punjab Police DSP held for accepting Rs 10-lakh bribe from drug peddler

CHANDIGARH, (PTI): The Punjab Police on Wednesday arrested Faridkot DSP Lakhvir Singh for allegedly accepting Rs 10 lakh in bribe from a drug supplier for not nominating him in an FIR registered under the NDPS Act in Tarn Taran.

The development came after the Tarn Taran district police arrested drug supplier Pishora Singh from a petrol pump near Patti Morh with 250 grams of opium and Rs 1 lakh in cash on Sunday.

Pishora, a resident of Model Boparai village in Tarn Taran, was wanted in a case in which his aide Surjit Singh of Mari Megha village was arrested with 900-gm opium.

Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav in an official statement said during investigation by the Tarn Taran Police, Surjit revealed that he had purchased opium from Pishora, who is the main drug supplier.

”When police started conducting raids to arrest him, Pishora tried to bribe the Patti Crime Investigation Agency incharge, offering Rs 7-8 lakh through Assistant Sub-Inspector Rashpal Singh in lieu of not arresting and nominating him in this case but the incharge refused to accept the bribe,” he said.

Later, Pishora met Rashpal Singh’s brother Hira Singh through his acquaintance Nishan Singh of Sito village in Tarn Taran, and together they approached the DSP, who also happens to be the cousin of Hira Singh.

The DSP settled for Rs 10 lakh to help the drug supplier, said the DGP, adding that the accused DSP instructed Hira to keep the amount with him. On the disclosure of Pishora Singh, police also recovered Rs 9.97 lakh from the house of Hira Singh, the DGP said.

Reiterating the commitment of the Punjab government to make state a corruption-free state, Yadav said any police officer or official found indulging in corruption will not be spared. (PTI)