Bhagwant Mann Video Gurugram Police Question Punjab Officers Proof

The Gurugram police, which registered a case against two persons, Arun and Ankit, on charges of allegedly creating a fabricated forensic report pertaining to controversial videos allegedly featuring Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, has apparently developed cold feet in the investigation.

According to sources, the Gurugram police is yet to question two senior Punjab Police officers — a Deputy Inspector General (DIG) and a Superintendent of Police (SP) — one of whom was allegedly referred to as “Bade Sahib”.

Highly placed sources told The Indian Express that despite having substantial evidence, including CCTV footage from the hotel where the two officers allegedly held multiple meetings with the complainant, Jaspreet Singh, hotel stay records showing they stayed at the same hotel, food and beverage bills, vehicle registration details and CCTV footage of the vehicles arriving at the hotel in Gurugram, the police has not yet questioned either officer.

The two accused in the case, Ankit and Arun, were arrested on June 23 and subsequently produced before a Gurugram court. They were interrogated in police custody for eight days before being sent to judicial custody on July 2.

In the FIR, Jaspreet Singh alleged that he reached the hotel at around 10 pm on June 15, where he “met the individual who had identified himself as a senior officer of the Government of Punjab. Another highly senior officer was also present with him, whom the people present at the venue were addressing as ‘Bade Sahib’. If the said officer is produced before me or shown to me during the course of the investigation, I can identify him. During the said meeting, I was informed that a controversial video purportedly relating to the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Punjab was being circulated on social media. I was further told that reports were required to be prepared stating that the video was AI-generated, manipulated, fabricated, or otherwise unreliable, and that the person appearing in the video was not the Hon’ble Chief Minister.”

According to the Gurugram police’s preliminary investigation, the two Punjab Police officers also allegedly paid Rs 10 lakh to the accused. The Gurugram police has reportedly established the alleged money trail.

Sources said the Punjab Police top brass got in touch with their counterparts in Haryana before and after the FIR was registered. The two Punjab Police officers who allegedly figure in the CCTV footage obtained by the Gurugram police continue to hold their present posts in Punjab.

Despite repeated attempts, Gurugram Police Commissioner Sibash Kabiraj and ACP Naveen Sharma, who are supervising the investigation, were unavailable for comment.

However, highly placed sources privy to the investigation told The Indian Express: “Once the FIR is registered, there is no question that the two Punjab government officers shall not be questioned. The Gurugram police is committed to taking this case to its logical conclusion and whoever is involved shall not be spared.”

Amid a raging political row in Punjab over an “objectionable” video clip allegedly featuring Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who has told the Akal Takht that the footage was “fake and manipulated”, the Gurugram police registered the FIR and arrested Ankit and Arun.