Mohali, 16 January 2025: A Mohali court on Wednesday denied bail to former Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Gursher Singh Sandhu, booked for forgery and corruption in October 2024 after allegedly exploiting his position for financial gains in land deals.
The decision came after Punjab Police opposed the bail plea during a hearing in the court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Baljinder Singh Sra.
Sandhu’s legal troubles began following a departmental inquiry ordered by the Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) in response to allegations made by Mohali resident Baljinder Singh.
Acting on a July 2024 Punjab and Haryana High Court directive, the DGP assigned the investigation to Rupnagar Range Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Nilambari Vijay Jagdale, who passed it to the Rupnagar Superintendent of Police (SP-Investigation).
The SP’s findings substantiated claims against Sandhu, leading to the registration of an FIR on October 15, 2024.
The charges include Sections 419, 465, 467, 468, and 471 of the Indian Penal Code, alongside Section 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, which addresses criminal misconduct by public servants.
The DIG’s report also recommended a departmental inquiry, holding Sandhu accountable for actions deemed criminally liable.
In his defense, Sandhu argued that complainant Baljinder Singh had personal grievances against him stemming from the withdrawal of Singh’s security cover.
Sandhu further alleged bias in the inquiry conducted by the Rupnagar SP, accusing her of settling inter-departmental scores.
He claimed that a prior investigation by the Mohali Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) had dismissed the allegations as baseless.
Sandhu also pointed to a 2024 standing order by the Punjab DGP, which prohibits multiple parallel inquiries into the same matter.
He argued that the SP’s actions violated this directive. Despite his contentions, the court sided with Punjab Police, which maintained that the evidence against Sandhu was sufficient to justify his continued detention.
Sandhu’s legal woes are compounded by previous controversies. On January 2, 2025, he was dismissed from service for enabling a televised interview with gangster Lawrence Bishnoi while Bishnoi was in custody in March 2023.
In August 2024, the Punjab and Haryana High Court directed the Punjab DGP to initiate action against Sandhu for alleged negligence in investigating gangster-related threat calls in Mohali.
Sandhu, a decorated officer credited with numerous operations against organized crime, had cited his service record in his bail plea, but his arguments failed to sway the court.
The case reflects Punjab Police’s intensified efforts to root out corruption and misuse of authority within its ranks.
