FARIDKOT, Dec 13— What began as a high-value robbery case has exposed a case of police impersonation involving drug addicts and a serving constable, with all parties now facing criminal charges, Faridkot police said.
According to investigators, four men — Ranjit Singh, Gurdeep Singh, Gurjit Singh and police constable Harwinder Singh — stopped a vegetable vendor’s vehicle on a deserted rural road near Koharwala village, posing as police officers conducting a narcotics search.
“The men did intercept the vehicle and carried out an unlawful search,” said SSP Dr Pragya Jain. “But there was no theft of cash, as was initially claimed.”
During the arrest, police recovered a holster containing 15 live service rounds from constable Harwinder Singh, leading to the addition of charges under the Arms Act. Police records also showed that Gurdeep Singh was earlier booked in a rape and conspiracy case in Barnala in 2016.
Investigators later found that the robbery complaint was deliberately exaggerated to “teach a lesson” to the youths. Kulwant Singh and his friend Rajwinder Singh admitted to filing the false complaint, police said, and have now been charged for providing false information.
Police also said Kulwant Singh has a criminal history, including being named in a case under the POCSO Act.
“The case now involves false reporting on one side and impersonation and illegal search on the other,” Jain said. “Action is being taken against all accused in accordance with the law.”
The development has complicated the investigation, as the FIR was initially registered as a major highway robbery before the facts emerged.
