Apprehending arrest in about three decades old Multani murder case, Punjab’s former police chief Sumedh Singh Saini is “absconding” leaving behind his Z-plus security. Even as Saiani’s wife has shot off a letter to Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Dinkar Gupta on Thursday complaining that the family’s security has been withdrawn, the Government categorically denied the same maintaining that not a single guard from Punjab or Chandigarh Police or the para-military force has been withdrawn.
Granted Z-plus security, no less than 60 security personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Punjab Police, and also the Chandigarh Police have been deployed for his security, stationed at Saini’s Sector 20 residence at Chandigarh along with a bulletproof car, a jeep equipped with jammers and an escort car.
The Punjab Police, in an official statement, asserted that Saini had absconded, leaving his security detail behind, a day before the Punjab and Haryana High Court was due to hear his anticipatory bail application in the murder case of former CITCO employee Balwant Singh Multani.
A spokesperson of the SIT, probing the extra-judicial killing case which was on Wednesday converted into a case of murder, denied the allegation of Saini’s wife that the ex-DGP’s security had been withdrawn, endangering his life.
Contrary to what had been claimed by Saini’s wife in a letter to DGP Dinkar Gupta, there had been no change whatsoever in the security detail and the paraphernalia, including the security box and Jammer vehicle, provided to the former police chief, who is a ‘Z+’ category protectee of the State Government, said the spokesperson.
“The fact of the matter is that Saini seemed to have left his Chandigarh residence without Punjab Police security personnel and security vehicles, including Jammer vehicle, on his own, thus jeopardising his own security,” said the spokesperson.
“What is more, the security vehicle, including Jammer vehicle, can still be seen standing outside his Chandigarh residence, where the security personnel are idling away their time waiting for his return,” added the spokesperson.
The spokesperson said that the letter, written to the DGP by Saini’s wife, who also seemed to have disappeared from the Chandigarh residence, appears to be an attempt to strengthen his claim for grant of anticipatory bail in the murder case.
The State government was fully alive to the security concerns involving Saini, as per the present threat assessment, and will not do anything to endanger his security or that of his family members, added the spokesperson.
It has been learnt that the Punjab Police, the Intelligence Bureau and the Chandigarh Police had recently reviewed Saini’s security at the highest level and no decision to prune it was taken.
The whereabouts of Saini and his family were not known as they have reportedly gone “underground” after a Mohali court rejected his plea for anticipatory bail in the Multani murder case.
Also clarifying confusion over withdrawal of Saini’s security, CM’s Media Advisor Raveen Thukral tweeted, “Totally incorrect that security of ex-DGP Sumedh Saini and family has been withdrawn. Fact is they have all gone underground after he was charged with murder in extra-judicial killing case, leaving behind the security personnel. His security cops still present at his residence.”