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BATHINDA: Bathinda police on Wednesday arrested Rampura city SHO Bikkar Singh and head constable Jaspal Singh for allegedly letting off a Congress leader’s son they had caught with narcotics. Police said that the duo took Rs 50,000 from the accused, identified as Congress SC cell district secretary Brij Lal ’s son Kuldeep Singh, to let him go without registering a case against him.

Cases under charges of the Prevention of Corruption Act and wrongful confinement to extract money have been registered against both the sub-inspector (SI) and the head constable. Rs 25,000 were recovered from the duo.

While Brij is still active in local politics, mother of Kuldeep, who has since gone into hiding, Anita too was elected as municipal councillor many years ago, police sources said.

Police said that the SHO had picked up alleged drug peddler Kuldeep of Rampura on Sunday evening. The cop had recovered some syringes from him. The police were unable to say exactly what drug was seized from Kuldeep. They claimed the matter was still under investigation.

SI Bikkar, instead of registering a case under the NDPS Act, illegally confined Kuldeep for the night at the police station, said police sources, adding that a deal was struck and he was let off on Monday morning after paying Rs 50,000. However, an informed called up senior police officers and spilled the bean.

In a joint press conference, Bathinda range IG M F Farooqui and Bathinda SSP Naveen Singla said, “Working on the information Rampura Phool DSP Jaswinder Singh Chahal went to the police station on Wednesday morning. He found the information to be true. He made the police officials there register a case against both the cops and ordered their arrest.”

SP (investigations) Swarn Singh said the arrested cops were searched and Rs 25,000 recovered from them. The police are are trying to trace Kuldeep to know exactly what was recovered from him and in how much quantity.

Meanwhile, Bathinda district administration and police department officials held a meeting on Wednesday on the issue of drugs and asked the cops and civil officials to be more vigilant.

