Probe against Haryana prisons dept employee, who hosted party introducing himself as senior officer

AN EMPLOYEE posted in the Haryana Prisons department, Sector 14, Panchkula, has been accused of enjoying a lavish party along with his wife and four other couples at a hotel in phase-2, Industrial Area, after introducing himself as a senior police officer of the prisons department, on New Year eve.

The suspect made a payment of Rs 57,000 through a cheque, which later bounced in the bank. The owner of Hotel Altius filed two complaints of cheating and forgery before DGP Prisons, Haryana, K Selvaraj, and SSP (UT), Kuldeep Singh Chahal, respectively. The employee is posted in the office of DGP, Prisons.

“An internal probe was marked. Strict disciplinary action will be taken against the government employee,” said DGP K Selvaraj. Sources said the employee is in the clerical wing of the prisons department. He was summoned for questioning at Sector 31 police station, on Saturday.

Sources said police have procured pictures/video clips of the suspect along with his wife and four other couples partying in the hotel. They added the cheque, which had bounced, was handed over to the cashier by someone else. The suspect and his group had spent almost three hours in the hotel. Sources said a visit at the DG, Prisons, office in Panchkula revealed that the suspect had taken money from other staff members also.

“Usually, we accept payments through cash mode or digital mode and discourage payments through cheques. But as the suspect had introduced himself as a DG rank officer with Haryana, we trusted him. Interestingly, the cheque, undersigned by the suspect, was given to the cashier someone who introduced himself as one of his gunmen. The cheque bounced on the very next day,” said MPS Chawla, owner of Hotel Altius.

Sources said the hotel owner came to know of the reality, when he enquired through his staff members about him.

“Investigation is on, the suspect was summoned. He is pleading his innocence. Legal opinion is being obtained on the matter. We received the complaint of hotel owner through the public window, police headquarters, Sector 9,” said Inspector Narinder Patial, SHO PS 31. A DDR was lodged at PS 31. Sources said that the suspect claimed that he will pay the money within four days.