AIG’s voice samples taken to compare with ‘extortion tape’

Mohali: The district police on Friday gathered the voice samples of additional inspector general (AIG) Malvinder Singh Sidhu at a forensic laboratory to match these recordings taken after his arrest in a fresh case registered at the Phase 1 police station with those that the phase-VIII cops had submitted as “evidence” of how he extorted money from govt officials and took bribes.
The AIG will be in custody till April 27. He was re-arrested based on a complaint that the station house officer (SHO) of Phase VIII had filed under sections 341 (wrongful restraint), 186 (obstructing public servant), 384 (extortion), and 120-B (conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The Phase-VIII cops had booked the tainted AIG in January along with three more people, after which they claimed have seized a voice recorder from him during custodial interrogation at the vigilance bureau.
From the device sent for examination, the forensics team was able to retrieve the AIG’s “extortion call” to one Babbi for Rs 15 lakh to drop a complaint against two people — Daljit Singh and Ranjit Singh. The AIG allegedly made this call while sitting with two people, one of whom is identified as Balvir. Balvir is then heard telling Babbi to pay him directly and get his share later.
From this recording, police inferred that AIG Sidhu misused his official powers to blackmail Babbi through Balvir Singh. This is the basis of the new FIR.