вЂњHow it is possible, the gangsters and kingpins of burglary are visiting the office of DCP (crime), having bags of Rs 2.5 crore and the then commissioner of police, having an adjacent office, was unaware of that?вЂќ the court asked. вЂњWhether the Commissioner of Police had passed that order in routine or purposely, the same is also yet to be investigated and that is possible only upon the interrogation of the petitioner (Sethia),вЂќ the court said. The hopes of such a common man of getting justice had gone to the dust of unknown storms immediately the moment when the petitioner had received the bag of Rs 2.5 crore from the mastermind of a big burglary (sic).вЂќ Elaborating on the rejection of the bail plea, which Sethia had filed on January 21, the court observed, вЂњThe extent of influence exercised by him (Sethia) over his subordinates to hush up the case may not be scaled unless the petitioner is interrogated.вЂќ Bringing the former police commissioner under the scope of scrutiny as well, the order said, вЂњWhether this whole illegal exercise had been done by the petitioner with the concurrence of the then commissioner of police, Gurgaon who was his immediate senior at Gurgaon or the other higher police authorities, the same may also not be ascertained unless the petitioner is questioned in custody.вЂќ Judge Sahrawat also questioned the former police chiefвЂ™s decision to hand additional charge of the crime branch to Sethia on August 18. вЂњWhether any share of the stolen money has also gone to other police officers either senior or junior of the petitioner (Sethia), that is also to be investigated,вЂќ the court said, adding, вЂњThe plight of the common man may not be even imagined if an IPS officer like the petitioner starts hushing up criminal cases by way of receiving gratification. In his order dated February 14, the judge observed that if Gurgaon police had proceeded with fairness, promptness and sufficient vigil at the right time, the vehicle used in the crime would have been lying in the concerned police station and all the accused would have been behind bars. Sethia was named as an accused on December 8 by the special task force (STF), which took over the probe from the police and added sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act and section 411 (dishonestly receiving stolen property) of the IPC to the FIR registered at Kherki Daula police station. Sethia was DCP (south) with additional charge as DCP (crime) when the massive cash heist happened from two flats owned by the developer of a Sector 84 condominium on August 4 last year. Additional sessions judge Amit Sahrawat also questioned the role of then Gurgaon police commissioner KK Rao, observing that SethiaвЂ™s office - where he allegedly received a bribe from the accused - was in the same building as the police chiefвЂ™s and asking how all this unfolded under his watch.

Gurgaon: Suspended IPS officer Dheeraj SethiaвЂ™s plea for anticipatory bail in a multi-crore theft case in which he has been named as an accused was rejected by a local court which, in its order, observed that Sethia needs to be interrogated to determine the extent of the policeвЂ™s involvement.

The firelords of sethia watch