Chandigarh, April 1: The Special CBI Court today granted bail to former Mauli Jagran SHO Baljeet Singh and constable Surinder Rathi in a bribe case as the CBI failed to file a chargesheet within 60 days.
Inspector Baljeet Singh and Rathi were arrested while allegedly taking a bribe of Rs 45,000 on January 28 this year.
In the bail application filed before the court, the defence counsel argued that the investigation officer of the CBI had failed to file the chargesheet with the stipulated period of 60 days, which expired on March 31.
The defence counsel said the court granted bail to the accused under Section 167 (2) of the CrPC.
However, another constable, who had been booked by the CBI, is still absconding.
Ramesh Kumar, a resident of Mauli Jagran, had approached the CBI with a complaint that the SHO and two other policemen were demanding a bribe from him.
Police personnel from the Mauli Jagran police station had, on January 26, rounded up a few persons, including Ramesh’s nephew, on allegations that they sell drugs.
The police had claimed that they had recovered three packets of charas from them.
In his complaint to the CBI, Ramesh had alleged that the SHO threatened him and demanded a bribe of Rs 1.20 lakh for not registering a case against his nephew and others.
The bribe amount was negotiated and reduced to Rs 55,000, after which the complainant gave Rs 10,000 bribe to the policemen the same day.
Ramesh then approached the CBI with his complaint following which a trap was laid at Mauli Jagran on January 28.
CBI officials claimed that constable Surinder Rathi accepted Rs 45,000 on behalf of the SHO after which he was nabbed.
