HC judge had called to ask about status of inquiry: DCP

A since-retired judge of the Punjab and Haryana high court had called up the principal investigating officer of the Chandigarh police before registration of the FIR, asking about the status of the probe being conducted by the police in the infamous cash at judge’s door.

Deputy commissioner of police (DCP), North Delhi, Madhur Verma, said this on Tuesday during the resumed hearing of cash-at-judge’s-door graft case in which, former justice Nirmal Yadav is one of the accused.

However, Verma added, “During investigations, there was no interference from any quarter, including the higher judiciary.” In 2008, when the case came to light, Verma was posted as additional superintendent of police (ASP) of the Chandigarh Police, and was principal investigating officer of the case.

In his statement on Tuesday, Verma said, “I had a telephonic conversation with Justice Mehtab Singh Gill of the Punjab and Haryana high court, now retired, prior to registration of the FIR who asked about the status of investigations. On his request, I met Justice Nirmaljeet Kaur on August 16 where she requested to treat the complaint of staff member, Amrik Singh, as her own.”
It may also be mentioned that last year, during arguments on framing of charges, special prosecutor, CBI, Anupam Gupta had also disclosed that Justice Gill called up Verma before registration of the FIR.

Verma, who had personally examined the accused, former additional advocate general of Haryana Sanjiv Bansal, Chandigarh-based businessman Rajiv Gupta, Delhi-based hotelier Ravinder Singh Bhasin and Nirmal Singh, said during the probe and personal examination, “They started faltering and there was reasonable degree of suspicion in their statement and action.”
Verma said the accused had produced documents related to property transaction to prove their claim that the money was meant as commission for a property deal to Nirmal Singh.

The case will now come up for hearing on April 18, when Verma’s cross examination will continue. The court also recorded the statement of two other witnesses.

THE CASE

In 2008, the CBI had registered a case under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act against justice Yadav, along with former additional advocate general of Haryana Sanjiv Bansal, Chandigarh-based businessman Rajiv Gupta, Delhi-based hotelier Ravinder Singh Bhasin and Nirmal Singh.

The case had made headlines after `15 lakh, meant for Justice Nirmal Yadav was wrongly delivered at Justice Nirmaljeet’s residence, another high court judge, on August 13, 2008, following which, she reported the matter to the UT police.