Senior Constable Arrested in Major Police Station Theft
In a shocking case of internal corruption, the Ludhiana Rural Police have arrested one of their own, a senior constable, for allegedly embezzling a massive sum of Rs 1.25 crore from the evidence locker of a police station. The stolen cash was originally recovered from alleged drug peddlers and was being held as case property.
The Courtroom Discovery That Exposed the Scam
The elaborate theft came to light in a most embarrassing fashion for the police force during a court hearing on November 11. The case pertained to a 2023 NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) Act investigation. Upon the orders of Additional Session Judge Parminder Kaur, four parcels that were supposed to contain the case property, including the cash, were unsealed in the courtroom.
To the shock of the public prosecutor, Balwinder Singh, and other officials present, the boxes were empty. The Rs 1.25 crore in cash was completely missing. An official who was the investigation officer when the drug money was initially recovered described the moment as deeply humiliating for the police department.
The Fake Seals and the Custodian's Betrayal
An FIR registered on the statement of Inspector Hira Singh, the SHO of Sidhwan Bet police station, reveals a key detail of the crime. After removing the cash, the accused, Senior Constable Gurdas Singh, had sealed the parcels again using fake seals to make it appear as if the evidence was intact.
Gurdas Singh was deputed as the head munshi and custodian of the 'malkhana' (the police station's strongroom). This position gave him sole responsibility for the keys and the duty to present case properties in court. SSP Ankur Gupta confirmed that this practice is standard across police stations, placing immense trust in the assigned constable.
Investigation, Recovery, and Fallout
Following the courtroom revelation, an FIR was swiftly registered against Gurdas Singh under Section 316 (5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for criminal breach of trust by a public servant. He was subsequently arrested.
DIG Satinder Singh assured the public that every single penny would be recovered. He disclosed that Rs 7-8 lakh has already been recovered from the accused constable. During interrogation, Gurdas Singh reportedly admitted to taking the money, giving a portion to a relative, and losing some of it in gambling.
In response to the scandal, the Ludhiana Rural Police have formed a three-member committee headed by the SP (Investigation) to probe the case thoroughly. The committee is also tasked with verifying the contents of the entire malkhana to check if any other items are missing.
