Batala, February 28: The police have arrested ASI Surinderjit Singh for stealing weapons from the ‘malkhana’ (room for keeping seized arms and ammunition) and selling these in the open market.
Surinder Pal Singh Parmar, IG (Border), said a case under Section 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servant, punishable with life imprisonment) of the IPC had been registered against Surinderjit, ‘malkhana’ incharge at the Civil Lines police station.
The FIR was registered after an inquiry report was submitted to SSP Opinderjit Singh Ghuman by the DSP (headquarters).
“Prima facie, it appears that 8-10 pistols and revolvers have been sold. An inquiry is still on,” an officer said on the condition of anonymity.
The SSP said only six weapons had been stolen and subsequently sold. “Three weapons, all case properties in various ongoing court cases, have been recovered. An elaborate check of the ‘malkhana’ is being conducted. Senior officers are verifying records,” Ghuman added.
The crime came to light when the ASI’s son, Baljodh Singh, sold a pistol to his friend, Lovepreet Singh, son of Home Guard jawan Kashmir Singh. Lovepreet used to flaunt the weapon in his neighbourhood. The cops recently raided Lovepreet’s residence after a neighbour complained that he was “threatening him with a pistol without provocation”.
Source Tribune India
